The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria’s Country Representative, Cristian Munduate, stated weekend that breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong health and well-being and a simple, cost-effective, and natural way to provide infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.
Speaking during the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week in Abuja with the theme: “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” he said despite its proven benefits, exclusive breastfeeding rates in Nigeria remains low and many mothers face cultural, social, and practical barriers that prevent them from breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of their child’s life.
While commemorating the breastfeeding week and performing a groundbreaking record of 30,000 mothers breastfeeding their babies at the same time across 36 states, including FCT,
Munduate said UNICEF and WHO are emphasising the need to improve breastfeeding support as a critical action for reducing health inequity and protecting the rights of mothers and babies to survive and thrive.
In a statement, Munduate added that the significant leap brings the world closer to the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of increasing exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50% by 2025.
She added that in Nigeria, key gaps in breastfeeding support include insufficient maternity leave policies, lack of workplace support and inadequate access to breastfeeding education and services, particularly in rural areas.
