Breast feeding: Nasarawa moves to create breastfeeding desks in government offices

As part of efforts to enhance breastfeeding, the Nasarawa State government said They planned to create breastfeeding desks in all government offices across the state.

The government said, will ensure a breastfeeding-friendly environment and end breast milk malnourishment of infants mothered by civil servants.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Janet Angbazu, disclosed this in Lafia during a press briefing Wednesday, to mark the 2023-World-Breastfeeding-Week in the state.

According to the permanent secretary, “Breastfeeding addresses inadequacies that stand in the way of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dr Angbazu explained further that the theme of this year’s breastfeeding year focuses on breastfeeding and work, providing a strategic opportunity to advance the essential maternity rights that support breastfeeding.

She stated that workplace challenges remain the most common reason women stop breastfeeding before the recommended period.

“We will therefore ensure that all Ministries, departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state create breastfeeding-friendly environments to support mothers.

“We will also lobby the state House of Assembly to increase the maternity leave from three to six months to encourage exclusive breastfeeding and to enable children to get all the necessary nutrients,” the permanent secretary noted.

In her remarks, the wife of the state governor, Hajiya Silifat Sule, stressed the importance of breast milk in the development of the child, hence, the need for mothers to take breastfeeding seriously.

Hajiya Silifat added that breast milk is a gift from God and cannot be substituted, and she encouraged mothers to adopt exclusive breastfeeding and still breastfeed their children alongside other foods after six months.

The First Lady, therefore, called on parents to be careful with who and to whom to entrust their children, as the world is full of evil.

“Parents and guardians should closely monitor the activities of their children, even if they are not in the house with them,” she added.

The rally organized by the Ministry of Health was attended by the First Lady of Nasarawa State, Hajiya Silifat Sule, the Head of Civil Service, Abigail Waya, all female Permanent Secretaries, and Civil Society Organizations among other stakeholders.