The Women Empowerment and Media Advocacy Initiative WEMAI during the World Breastfeeding Week yesterday in Abuja, called on the Federal and State Government to prioritize lactating mothers by ensuring healthy nutrition for healthy breast milk production.
This call was made by WEMAI’s Program Manager Bukola Afeni as she urged governments at all levels to come up with initiatives that support all lactating mothers to boost healthy breastfeeding.
She noted that “Pregnant women and nursing mothers need to boost their nutrition gland to enhance the free flow of healthy breast milk, this would not be possible though if the government doesn’t seek to improve the living conditions for lactating mothers as well.”
In the same vein, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Cristian Munduate reiterated the need for the federal and state governments and employers to take decisive actions to ensure a supportive breastfeeding environment for all working mothers, including those in the formal and informal sectors.
Munduate noted that improved breastfeeding practices could save over 100,000 children’s lives each year in Nigeria, and also save US$22 million in health care treatment costs related to inadequate breastfeeding.
“And generate an additional US$21 billion for the economy over children’s productive years by increasing cognitive capacity and preventing premature mortality in the early years.
In a message to mark the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week, Munduate said Global analysis reveals that elevating rates of exclusive breastfeeding could save the lives of an astounding 820,000 children under the age of five annually, generating an additional income of US $302 billion.
Furthermore, she observed that there is evidence today that every 1000 Naira invested in supporting breastfeeding can yield an estimated 35,000 Naira in economic returns for Nigeria.
Munduate while acknowledging the significant strides Nigeria has made in the past two decades to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, it remains evident that more needs to be done as presently, women make up 20 million out of the 46 million workforce in Nigeria; 95 per cent are within the informal sector, while the formal sector only employs 5 per cent.
Shockingly, only 9 per cent of organizations have a workplace breastfeeding policy, with only 1.5 per cent in the public sector.
Afeni however, reiterated the organization’s support for UNICEF in advocating for breastfeeding as it is of great benefit to both the mother and the child.