UNICEF, Others Seek More Support For Nursing Mothers

Afimag.com –

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has called on government to create a supportive environment that stimulates health status of breastfeeding mothers and their babies

The Chief UNICEF field office Kano, Mr. Rahma Rihood Mohammad Farah, made the call, during the flag off ceremony of 2023 world breastfeeding week.

The chief of field office explained that backing laboring parents through breastfeeding friendly policies, results in improved employer-employee relations, increased loyalty, higher job productivity and positive impacts, on gender equality and work life balance.

Mr Rahma charged state government, yet to implement 6 months maternity leave to do so, as prioritising the needs of working parents, through provision of lactation rooms and creches in all MDAs, would go a long way in promoting, maternal and child well being.

In his remarks, Kano state commissioner of health Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Hajiya Amina Musa, disclosed that government has procured ready to use therapeutic food (RUTF), to improve child nutrition and reaffirmed commitment support nursing mothers, through establishment of creches and elongating maternity leave from 3 to six months.

The state nutrition officer, Kano state ministry of health, Hajiya Halima Yakasai identified, poor maternal knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding, and late attendance to anti natal care, as some of the challenges to maternal, child health.

Others partners who spoke include Alive and thrive, Nutrition international (NI), CS-SUN, as well as civil servants, who shared their experiences.