Mothers advised on exclusive breast-feeding

From Fisayo Akinduro, Osogbo
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Nursing mothers and pregnant women have been urged to engage in exclusive breast-feeding in order to ensure that their children stay alive in sound health.

The Director, Department of Nutrition Services & Health Education of Osun State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr James Oloyede gave the advice during a sensitization programme organised for women groups in Osogbo.

Oloyede commended the state governor, Gboyega Oyetola for setting up State Steering Committee on Breast-feeding in order to reduce infants mortality rate in the state.

He said the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) has shown that out of 1,000 newly born children in the state, 56 died within 28 days of their birth.

The director, while lamenting that the figure is unacceptable and that the situation must be addressed stressed that these deaths are avoidable if women practise exclusive breastfeeding.

He equally urged representatives of women groups in the state to carry the message of exclusive breastfeeding to their various communities and become advocates of EBF.

Also speaking, a Public Health specialist in the Board, Mr Michael Izuchukwu advised women in the state to imbibe the culture of exclusive breastfeeding to ensure that their children stay alive in sound health.

He noted that breast milk contains 88.1 percent water and cautioned nursing mothers to desist from giving water or any liquid to their children in the first six months.

Izuchukwu said babies only need the breast milk to make him or her stay alive, healthy and brilliant.

Adding that an exclusively breastfeed child is 14 times less likely to die in the first six months than a non-breastfed child.