Board educates parents on breast feeding at Ushafa community

By Stanley Onyekwere

To round up activities marking this year’s world breast-feeding week in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board (PHCDB), held a one day community orientation on infant and young child feeding practice, for parents in Ushafa community, in Bwari area council.

Peoples Daily reports that the world-breastfeeding week, which is celebrated globally in the first week of August annually is meant to specifically create awareness on the importance of breastfeeding to child’s survival.

Speaking at the occasion held at Ushafa primary health centre, in Bwari, the Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr. Rilwan Mohammed, called for improved commitment from mothers, fathers, policy makers and other stakeholders, to protect, promote and support optimal breastfeeding practice in the society.

Represented by the Acting Director of the Board, Dr. Tali Butkap, the secretary said the theme of this year’s event “Breastfeeding a winning goal for life” was apt because there is a strong and direct relationship between food security nutrition security MDGs and National Development.

He noted that breastfeeding aids the baby to win against germs and early child diseases, stressing that malnutrition is one of the most important constraints to achieving  MDGs and that this year’s theme responds to MDG’s, 2015 countdown and beyond.

Similarly, the FCT Nutrition Officer Mrs. Okoro Clementina Okoro, who lectured the participants on the objectives and expected outcome of breastfeeding, emphasized the need for exclusive breastfeeding of a child for the first six months.

She pointed out that breast feeding is cheaper and easier to sustain than baby milk, advising mothers not to disregard the first yellowish milk known as colostrum, as they protect the baby from many diseases.

According to nutrition officer, FCT PHCDB encourages support groups to plant Vitamins ‘A’ fortified potatoes to ensure food security and nutrient for the family, and further advised them to form support groups in their various communities in order to spread the message of the importance of breast feeding.

A statement signed by the Board’s Public Relation Officer (PRO),   Reginald Uhegbu, other nutrition officers who spoke at the occasion were Mrs. Chinyere Ekwueme, Chizoba Edemba, Aisha Bello and Mustapha Bichi.

He disclosed that participants who were drawn from all the wards in Bwari, including nursing and expectant mothers as well as fathers who were encouraged to support their wives in  the breastfeeding campaign.