The wife of Anambra State governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo, on Thursday, flagged off the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) in the state, explained that breast milk remains a mother’s greatest gift to her baby.
Mrs Soludo stated this at the occasion while speaking on the theme: ‘Closing the Gap, Breastfeeding support for all,’ at the Primary Health Care Centre, Amawbia in Awka South Local Government Area of the state.
According to the governor’s wife, every mother has a natural responsibility to properly breastfeed their babies in a manner that takes their overall health priorities into right considerations, stating that the only way to achieve that is to adopt pure exclusive breastfeeding.
Mrs Soludo pointed out that the health and emotional benefits that exclusive breastfeeding serve are very important to not just the baby but to the mother and urged every household to adopt the practice.
She further stated that exclusive breastfeeding creates a strong bond between the mother and her child, and also enable t
hem to beat certain dangerous diseases and as well save costs.
Mrs Soludo also encouraged households to own organic gardens as a way of dealing with current food crises, eating healthy and beating diseases.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, pointed out that exclusive breastfeeding coverage in Anambra State is still not at the point of total satisfaction, explaining that the state government is passionate about the campaign to ensure that every household understands its importance.
He noted that the ongoing free antenatal care and delivery services in Anambra State have also been important in the pushing the programme, insisting that the government is constantly engaging with critical stakeholders to achieve optimum target in exclusive breastfeeding indices in the state.
On her part, the Executive Secretary of Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Pharmacist Chisom Uchem, said this year’s World Breastfeeding Week’s theme, ‘Closing the gap: Breas
tfeeding support for all,’ calls for a more intense awareness to educate women on the need to adopt the practice, for their own sake and for the overall betterment of the child’s health and development.
Anambra first lady also gave out free organic seeds at the occasion, to support her ongoing seeds programme.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, was also at the ceremony.
The symbolic ceremony is an annual event geared at creating awareness and sensitization on the importance and need for Exclusive Breastfeeding with zero water for children aged 0 to 6 months.
Source :News Agency of Nigeria