By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo has pledged a greate rewards for nursing mothers whose babies have been certified to be exclusively breastfed.
Mrs. Soludo made the pledge while flagging off the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week at the Maternal and Child Health Centre, Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of the state.
According to her breast milk is a key element in growth and health of any baby, hence, experts, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) recommend that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life.
Mrs Soludo revealed that she exclusively breastfed all her children, and therefore said she was in the right position to educate mothers on its efficacy and benefits.
While noting that she would set up a reward package for nursing mothers who exclusively breastfeed their children henceforth; the Governor’s wife further explained that the gesture would help to encourage nursing mothers to breastfeed their children as supposed and also help to move Anambra State higher from the current 27% percent statistics on national exclusive breastfeeding index.
Mrs. Soludo who is also a hygiene ambassador and advocate of healthy living, expressed worry on the poor hygiene practices by most pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as the hygiene status of some primary healthcare facilities.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, stated that the state government is building fertile health ground for everybody living in Anambra State, without a special priority on the infant and maternal health.
He also highlighted the numerous benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, to include prevention of most child killer diseases, helping in family planning, checkmating of breast cancer among women, among other benefits.
Celebrated annually from August 1 — August 7, World Breastfeeding Week is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness about breastfeeding and its advantages, both to the children and to the women.
