By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
Society For Family Health (SFH) has engaged Makarfi community leaders in a round table discussion on breastfeeding discussion during a World Breastfeeding Week.
This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Zaria by Project Director of SFH,
Mal. Muhammad Mustapha Ibrahim, which said the effort is targeted ar creating awareness and increase support for exclusive breastfeeding, especially as a tool to curb malnutrition among children.
He said that the outreach and awareness-raising activities across several local government areas (LGAs) in Kaduna State by the Society for Family Health is in order to sensitize pregnant and lactating mothers, traditional, religious and community leaders on the importance of breastfeeding.
The statement further said that the World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated yearly in the first week of August to increase support for exclusive breastfeeding in children less than six months of age.
“It calls for more awareness of providing a sustainable breastfeeding-friendly environment through the involvement of governments, communities, and individuals.
“On its part the SFH ANRiN project has reached 150,246 pregnant and lactating women with Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), counselling to educate women on exclusive breastfeeding and other healthy nutrition practices”.
The Project Director said that SFH’s Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (SFH ANRiN) project, discussion with traditional, religious, and community leaders will address the challenges of breastfeeding in the rural communities.
“Breastfeeding is key to sustainable development strategies as it improves nutrition, ensures food security, and reduces inequalities between and within countries”.
“Kaduna State Government in collaboration with SFH ANRIN is committed to enlightening nursing mothers on the importance of breastfeeding for eradicating malnutrition across the state”.
Also, the wife of Makarfi Local Government Council Chairman, Hajiya Fatima Kabiru Mu’azu Meyere charged mothers, family heads, and other community members to double their efforts in enlightening wives on the importance of breastmilk to new born babies within the first six months as advised by health experts..
SFH ANRiN and the Kaduna State Government called for the support of everyone in promoting breastfeeding as it is a tool for improving nutritional outcomes of children, especially in Northern Nigeria.
