Stakeholders in Public and Private Sectors have been charged to make adequate breastfeeding facilities available in all workplaces to make them friendly to nursing mothers.
The Executive Secretary, Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency Dr. Gilbert Ayodele Seluwa gave the charge during a day symposium organised for Stakeholders at Public and Private Sectors held in Ado-Ekiti recently.
The Executive Secretary, who gave the charge during the symposium tagged “Enabling Breastfeeding” organised by the Nutrition unit of the Agency to compliment the objectives of 2023 World Breastfeeding Week, said the symposium became imperative to compliment the efforts of Ekiti stategovernment led by Governor Biodun Oyebanji who has graciously approved the compulsory paid six months maternal leave and two weeks paternity leave to support their breastfeeding wives.
Presenting a Keynote on “Breastfeeding and work: Making it work”, State Nutrition Officer, Mrs Bolanle Olorunyomi emphasised that World Health Organisation(WHO) and UNICEF have called for more sensitisation of workers at both public and private sectors to support their nursing mothers on how to improve on the practice of exclusive breastfeeding for six months for up to two years as means of avoiding child malnutrition as well as many common and life-threatening illnesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.
Olorunyomi disclosed that breastfeeding remains a very effective means of protecting the infant and child from infections and fortifying the health of the young ones during the early stage of life, hence the need for nursing mothers to ensure exclusive breastfeeding for their babies.
While responding to questions from the participants, some of the panelists at the symposium including Dr. Oasunkanmi Alabi, Permanent Secretary Hospital Management Board, Mrs Igotun, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr Mrs Funmilayo Omotoye from Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekiti, Dr Akin Ogunsakin Director Community and Family Health and Mrs Christianah Ajimati State Immunisation Officer said the objectives of 2023 World Breastfeeding Week and the purpose of the symposium is to create awareness for all sectors to implement six months maternal leave with pay and two weeks paternity leave for the fathers, and create breastfeeding rooms in offices to enhance breastfeeding friendly environments in the society.
They charged the community leaders at the symposium to support nursing mothers to meet WHO target as Nigeria is ranked among the African countries with low response of about 23% to exclusive breastfeeding practice.
Some of the participants at the symposium appreciated the organisers and promised to make their offices breastfeeding- friendly environments henceforth.