Governor’s wife advocates increased support for women to breastfeed babies

The Ebonyi Governor’s wife, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, has advocated increased support for women
to enable them to breastfeed their babies.

Nwifuru, who is also the Founder of Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons Foundation (BERWO), made the call at an event to mark the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) in Abakaliki.

The event was organized by BERWO, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Health to commemorate the week-long global observance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WBW is an annual celebration held from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 in more than 120 countries, supported by World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), ministries of health and civil society partners.

The theme for 2024 is “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All.”

The governor’s wife, therefore, called for support of families, societies and organizations to provide essential health and nutrients to build strong immune system in children.

She said breastfeeding is not always easy, as many mothers face challenges, including the lack of knowledge, social stigma and inadequate support from families, workplaces and communities.

She added that “it is our collective responsibility to address these challenges and ensure that every mother has the support she needs to breastfeed successfully.

“Closing the gap in breastfeeding support requires collective efforts, by working together, we can create an environment where every mother feels empowered to breastfeed and every child has the opportunity to thrive.

“Let us continue to champion the cause of breastfeeding, not just during this week but every day, as we strive to build a healthier and more supportive state for a better society.”

READ ALSO: Closing The Gap: Breastfeeding Support For All

The Commissioner for Health, Mr Moses Ekuma, while educating mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding, commended Nwifuru “for making the program a life touching event.”

Ekuma, who was represented by Mr Sabinus Nwibo, the Special Assistant to the governor on Primary Health, encouraged mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding.

Mr Uchenna Onwe, representative of the Helen Keller International, an NGO, advocated breastfeeding space and time to ensure its success.

He disclosed that the foundation had improved the lives of women and children, and had provided medical support to many others.

“We are preaching that organizations should provide comfortable breastfeeding space for mothers to breastfeed their children,” he said.

Representative of WHO, Mr Danladi Ndahi, thanked the state government for the commitment to ensure that health policies with increasing universal health coverage are achieved.

Ndahi described the 2024 edition of the WBW as timely, saying that spouses, families and communities have roles to play in closing the gap in breastfeeding support for all.

Mrs Jane Kamani, a breastfeeding mother, described her experience as successful, narrating that “my child never took ill because I decided to make success out of the practice and build strong immune system for my child.”

The News agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured distribution of diapers, bathing and drawer sets, towels, other baby items to mothers.