Breastfeeding Boom: Nigeria’s Push Towards a Healthier Future for Infants
Nigeria is making significant strides in infant nutrition, with a notable 10 percent rise in the number of infants under six months exclusively breastfed over the past 12 years, and today, 34 percent of Nigerian infants benefit from this crucial start, translating into hundreds of thousands of lives saved.
This was contained in a press statement issues by UNICEF and WHO to Newsmen on Thursday mark the world Breastfeeding week 2024 said the progress moves Nigeria closer to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) goal of 50 percent exclusive breastfeeding by 2025.
Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Nigeria’s Country Representative, emphasised, “Breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong health and well-being. It is a simple, cost-effective, and natural way to provide infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.” Despite these benefits, Nigeria faces persistent challenges that impede higher breastfeeding rates, including cultural, social, and practical barriers.
Breastfeeding during the early months provides essential antibodies that protect infants from illness and death, a crucial factor in emergencies. Additionally, breastfeeding reduces childhood illness, lowers the risk of certain cancers, and mitigates noncommunicable diseases for mothers.
This World Breastfeeding Week, themed “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” UNICEF and WHO are spotlighting the need for improved breastfeeding support to address health inequities. Nigeria’s key gaps include insufficient maternity leave, a lack of workplace support, and limited access to breastfeeding education, particularly in rural areas. Currently, only seven states offer the recommended 24 weeks of paid maternity leave, with many women returning to work without adequate breastfeeding support.
Addressing these challenges requires a collaborative effort from the government, employers, healthcare providers, and communities. Essential actions include extending paid maternity leave, creating breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, and providing comprehensive breastfeeding education and support. In a significant push, UNICEF is supporting Nigeria’s attempt to set a world record with 30,000 mothers breastfeeding simultaneously across all 36 states and the FCT on August 1, 2024. This initiative aims to emphasise the importance of breastfeeding and challenge harmful nutritional norms.
To ensure continued progress, it is crucial to improve data on policies facilitating breastfeeding, such as family-friendly employment practices and regulation of breastmilk substitutes. Enhanced monitoring systems will boost the effectiveness of breastfeeding policies and programs, inform better decision-making, and secure adequate financing.
This collective effort involves families, communities, healthcare workers, policymakers, and decision-makers. Key actions include:
investing in breastfeeding protection and support programs through dedicated national budgets.
Implementing and monitoring family-friendly workplace policies, including paid maternity leave and breastfeeding breaks.
ensuring tailored breastfeeding support for at-risk mothers and those in emergencies or underserved communities.
Enhancing the monitoring of breastfeeding programs and policies for continuous improvement.
developing and enforcing laws restricting the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, including digital marketing.
With these concerted efforts, Nigeria can further boost exclusive breastfeeding rates, ensuring a healthier future for both infants and mothers.
