ASHENEWS reports that the Niger state government has said that work or any form of employment should not separate the nursing mother from her baby as the government pledges to take all actions to help ensure that breastfeeding works for women who work, wherever they work across the state.
The government said that by promoting these actions in ensuring that nursing mothers continue to breastfeed while working said this will increase uptake of breastfeeding practice and overcome socio-cultural barriers.
The state Commissioner of Primary Healthcare, Dr Ibrahim Dangana stated this during the celebration of the World Breastfeeding Week at the Ministry of Primary Healthcare in Minna on Thursday.
According to him, the evolving global workplace has seen a lot of women engaged in one form of employment or another which is as a result of women taking up more responsibilities in families adding that while this is a positive development, it is taking a toll on the quality of breastfeeding in terms of duration and frequency.
“The Niger state Primary Healthcare Ministry is working assiduously to ensure all healthcare services aimed at supporting mothers to breastfeed, including optimizing counselling and skilled lactation support.
“The state government is committed to providing resources and championing best practices for workplace related breastfeeding support in all 25 local government areas across different contract types and sectors and promote a tions that can be taken to help ensure breastfeeding works for all women who work and wherever they work”, he said.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Abdullahi Imam noted that the state government is committed to enforcing the Breastfeeding Protection Act which states that all workplaces and public spaces shoukd provide adequate facilities and support for breastfeeding mothers.
To this end, he said, that the state is working to have rooms for nursing mothers in every block within the state Secretariat and other ministries, departments and agencies outside the state Secretariat as the current space made for the nursing mothers which is located inside the block of the Head of Service office within the state Secretariat is far for most breastfeeding mothers.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the state is reviewing the six months paid maternity leave and appropriate paternity leave into the state civil service adding that the introduction would soon commence because it is at the final stage.
He added that the state government is investing in several interventions that will promote, protect and institutionalize the three key areas of breastfeeding which include the early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age and extended breastfeeding for up to two years with appropriate complementary feeding.
“We want to ensure that women within Niger state, no matter the place and type of work will have at least 18 weeks, preferably, six months paid maternity week, paid time off for breastfeeding or expressing milk upon returning to work and flexible return to work options”, the Commissioner stated
