Kwara govt advises pregnant mothers on breastfeeding

The Kwara State Government has advised pregnant mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months to guarantee healthy life.

Dr Abubakar Ayinla, Permanent Secretary, Kwara Ministry of Health, gave the advice while addressing the mothers at the General Hospital, Ilorin on Wednesday.

The event was part of activities to mark the 2021 World Breastfeeding Week.

Ayinla said that the sensitisation programme was part of the state government efforts to enlighten mothers on the importance of breastfeeding for the welfare of their babies.

He said that there were nutritional benefits of breastfeeding to the child, especially for the first six months of the baby’s life.

“Feeding babies solely on breast milk for the first six months of their lives protect them against diarrhoea and common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia.

“It also reduces risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence,” Ayinla said.

Mr Folorunsho Abdulrazak, Chairman, Committee on Food and Nutrition, emphasised the importance of breastfeeding for babies.

Abdulrazak said exclusive breastfeeding was important for optimal growth and development for the health of infants.

Also, Malam Muhammad Abdulrahman, Representative of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), elaborated on the value of breastfeeding for all mothers.

Abdulrahman reiterated that exclusive breastfeeding would enable babies grow up to become healthy and free from all types of illness.

He restated the support of NAFDAC for the state government to ensure people are well sensitised on optimal safety and wellbeing.