By Lizzy Carr
UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Cristian Munduate has called on the Nigerian government at both National and Sub-National levels and, employers of labor to take decisive actions to ensure a supportive breastfeeding environment for all working mothers, including those in the formal and informal sectors.
The call was contained in a press release to commemorate 2023 World Breastfeeding Week which commences from 1st to 7th August and was made available to newsmen in Bauchi by the communication officer of UNICEF Bauchi Field office.
The statement said that it is imperative to highlight the significance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of children, mothers, and society at large.
Munduate said that Breastmilk is the first vaccine and the first food that every child receives at birth and that it stands as a crucial pillar in safeguarding infants against life-threatening infections, supporting optimal brain development in children, and reducing the incidence of chronic childhood and maternal illnesses, ultimately lowering healthcare costs.
The UNICEF country representative noted that breastmilk is not just a super-food and vaccine, it is also a smart investment, pointing out that Global analysis reveals that elevating rates of exclusive breastfeeding could save the lives of an astounding 820,000 children under the age of five annually, generating an additional income of US $302 billion.
The statement further revealed that improved breastfeeding practices could save over 100,000 children’s lives each year, save US$22 million in healthcare treatment costs related to inadequate breastfeeding, and generate an additional US$21 billion for the economy over children’s productive years by increasing cognitive capacity and preventing premature mortality in the early years.
“There is evidence today that every 1000 Naira invested in supporting breastfeeding can yield an estimated 35,000 Naira in economic returns for Nigeria,” the statement said.
While acknowledging the significant strides made in the past two decades in Nigeria to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, it remains evident that more needs to be done, as according to Munduate, currently only 7 out of 36 states provide six months of fully paid maternity leave and only 34 percent of children aged 0 to 6 months are exclusively breastfed as recommended by UNICEF.
UNICEF laments that Nigeria is still far from reaching the World Health Assembly’s 70 percent target by 2030.
The statement by the UNICEF country representative added that women make up 20 million out of the 46 million workforces in Nigeria and that 95 percent are within the informal sector, while the formal sector only employs 5 percent.
“Shockingly, only 9 percent of organizations have a workplace breastfeeding policy, with only 1.5 percent in the public sector. Women in the informal sector have nearly no support for breastfeeding.”
Munduate added that to facilitate progress, it is essential for governments and businesses to play their part by providing the necessary support to mothers and caregivers.
“It is important to have policies that support breastfeeding, such as paid maternity leave for six months, as well as paid paternity leave, flexible return-to-work options, regular lactation breaks during working hours, and adequate facilities that enable mothers to continue exclusively breastfeeding for six months, followed by age-appropriate complementary feeding while breastfeeding continues to two years and beyond.”
UNICEF concludes by emphasizing that investing in breastfeeding support policies and programs in all settings, especially during crises and in food-insecure regions, is crucial to ensure the well-being of our children and the progress of our society.
