Breastfeeding
34% of Nigerian babies exclusively breastfed – NAFDAC
At least 34% of Nigerian babies aged 0-6 months are exclusively breastfed, according to a report by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
NAFDAC said this is a significant improvement from previous years, while insisting on more care for the health of mothers.
According to NAFDAC, however, the figure still falls short of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target of achieving a 50% exclusive breastfeeding rate by 2025.
NAFDAC’s Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this during the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week celebration, with the theme: “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All.”
A statement by NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, quoted the director-general as stressing the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in enhancing the intelligence quotient (IQ) of babies, strengthening their immunity, and reducing the risk of childhood illnesses and infections.
Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mrs Eva Edwards, highlighted the long-term health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, which includes a higher IQ for infants who are exclusively breastfed.
She noted that 97% of children in Nigeria are breastfed at some point, but only 42% are breastfed within the first hour of birth, a critical window recommended by WHO.
She also highlighted the data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey of 2018 and the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, saying that the exclusive breastfeeding rate has improved from 17% to 34% over the years. However, she stressed that this progress is still insufficient to meet the global target set by WHO.
“This calls for action from all of us in our respective capacities as breastfeeding actors to accelerate progress and scale optimal breastfeeding practices to achieve the global target to save the lives of our children and mothers,” Adeyeye urged.
The NAFDAC DG also underscored the need for comprehensive support systems to enable successful breastfeeding.
She called for assistance from healthcare systems, family members, community members, and workplaces to provide the necessary support, such as food supplementation and household help, to nursing mothers.
Adeyeye emphasized that knowledge-sharing, encouragement, and creating an enabling environment are crucial for making breastfeeding easier for mothers.
She also highlighted the need to support vulnerable mothers who may require additional assistance to overcome breastfeeding inequities.
“It’s essential that no one is left behind, especially vulnerable mothers who may need additional assistance to reduce breastfeeding inequities,” she stated.
In her remarks, Adeyeye also called on nursing mothers to champion optimal breastfeeding practices to improve the health status of their newborns and reduce their own risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
She lamented that many women do not receive adequate support to optimally breastfeed, including access to trained personnel and empathetic, respectful health advice throughout their breastfeeding journey.
To further bolster breastfeeding efforts, Adeyeye used the occasion to inaugurate the Lagos State Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) Multisectoral Technical Committee and Advocacy Team.
The initiative is part of a collaborative strategy to ensure compliance with and monitoring of the breast milk substitute code.
The World Breastfeeding Week celebration, observed annually, serves as a platform to raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding and the importance of providing mothers with the necessary support to ensure the health and well-being of their babies.