Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
August 4, 2017,
The UNICEF Chief Field Officer in Borno state, Geoffrey Ijumba has
said that the rates of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in the
Northeast; are still dangerously low to infants taking refuge with
mothers in Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps.
Ijumba raised the alarm on Friday at a joint launching of Community
Campaign to promote and support breastfeeding; to mark this year’s
World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) in Maiduguri.
The Permanent Secretary in the Borno State Ministry of Health, Dr.
Abubakar Hassan also said that most of the IDPs in camps are women;
nursing over 350, 000 children. He declared that; breastfeeding
prevents other diseases among infants.
“Exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in camps and host communities
of Borno state guarantees a healthy population in any part of the
globe,” said Dr. Hassan, adding that it will help mothers address
their problems.
Ijumba reiterated that partners promoting the breastfeeding community
campaigns; are reaching out through the media by engaging traditional,
religious and community leaders to highlight the benefits of
breastfeeding.
“It has a vital role in giving every child with the healthiest start
to life,” he declared.
He said that the breastfeeding campaign; was to promote the creation
of supportive environments for women breastfeed their children.
He noted that the youngest are the most vulnerable when families are
displaced and food and health services become scarce.
“The trauma of conflict also impacts a mother’s ability to breastfeed;
mothers should be supported with appropriate counselling services. We
must highlight the risks and work as a community to make sure babies
are able to receive what they need to survive and thrive,” said
Ijumba.
WHO’s Technical Nutrition Officer, Rukhsana Shereen also said:
“Breastfeeding is not a one-woman job. Mothers need support from their
husbands, family members, community, health workers and governments.
They are to give their children the healthiest possible start of
life.”
The State’s Coordinator of Project Implementation Unit (SCPIU), Dr.
Hyelni Mshelia said that breastfeeding has four objectives to “inform,
anchor, engage and galvanise” by working together achieve sustainable
breastfeeding through husbands.
“All of us here are to create awareness among members of the general
public on how to sustain breastfeeding of millions of infants in the
global village,” she said.
