By Stella Obi
In commemoration of 2023 World Breastfeeding Week, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde,wife of Oyo State Governor has sensitised women in the state on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding of babies.
Speaking during an event organised to mark the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week on Thursday, Mrs Makinde said breast milk is the best food which a baby must enjoy exclusively for six months after birth.
The theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is Enabling Breastfeeding: Making A Difference for Working Parents.
The program was organised by the Office of the First Lady in collaboration with Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project (ANRIN).
Mrs Makinde noted that the event was to promote breast feeding for children, create awareness and promote benefits of breastfeeding.
She added that breast milk is safe, clean and contains nutrients which prevent babies from common illness and diseases.
Her words: “This event is globally celebrated annually. During the breastfeeding celebration, several facts regarding breastfeeding come to the forefront which include nutritional needs of the nursing mothers, support for the nursing mothers, breastfeeding frequency and timing, among others.
“The week is considered the most joint extensive campaign on breastfeeding by international organisations such as WHO and UNICEF. The targeted audience in the campaign includes the government, policy makers, employers, community and parents who will engage and play their critical roles in empowering families on sustaining breastfeeding friendly environment.
“This year’s breastfeeding week is focused on informing people about challenges of the mothers associated with breastfeeding and parenting, anchor optimal paid leave in supporting mothers, engage with individuals and organisations, enhance collaboration and support for breastfeeding, galvanize action to improve support for nursing mothers and provision of relevant support for them in breastfeeding their children.”
She also thanked the governor of the state, Seyi Makinde for supporting mothers and their babies, adding that the health of women across the state is one of the priorities of the governor.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Dr. Deji Adeyanju thanked Mrs. Makinde, who over the time, has shown her love for mothers and babies across the state.
He said by adequately breastfeeding babies which is the best food for them, we are taking care of the future of the babies.”
The highlight of the event included the distribution of foodstuff, money, gifts to all nursing mothers present.
