The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged nursing mothers to commit to breastfeeding their children exclusively for six months.
The Fund’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Cristian Munduate, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday, on the occasion of the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW).
WBW is commemorated from August 1 to August 7 every year and has “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All” as this year’s theme.
The aim is to emphasise the need to improve support as critical action for reducing health inequity and protecting the rights of mothers and babies to survive and thrive.
According to her, “breast milk helps to boost the immunity of children and makes them stronger.”
She said, “The gift of mother nature granted us this opportunity for women to feed their children. This is the only source of food a child needs in the first six months of life.
“Breast milk helps to prevent babies from getting any type of disease. This is a call for women to engage and commit themselves to breastfeeding their children.
“There is also the need for government and religious leaders to advocate for it provide conducive atmosphere and encourage mothers to breastfeed.”
Munduate called for support in dispelling rumours and myths surrounding breastfeeding.
She also urged pregnant women to always attend ante-natal care, where they would be provided Vitamin A, folic, Iron, and micronutrients to make them strong.
