Kathmandu, Aug 1: World Breastfeeding Week began on Saturday with a renewed global call to strengthen support systems that enable mothers to breastfeed successfully. Observed every year during the first week of August, the campaign is led by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, health ministries, and civil society groups.
This year’s theme, “Breastfeeding: Building a Sustainable Foundation for Life, Strengthen Effective Practices,” highlights the need for stronger healthcare, community support, workplace policies, and government action to help mothers and newborns.
According to the WHO, breastfeeding remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve child health. It provides essential nutrition, strengthens immunity, protects against serious illnesses, and supports brain development. Mothers also benefit, as regular breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and Type 2 diabetes.
Global breastfeeding rates have improved over the past decade. The share of infants exclusively breastfed during their first six months has risen from about 37 percent in 2012 to more than 47 percent. The proportion of children breastfed until the age of two has also increased from 38 percent to 50 percent in the past five years, reflecting the impact of investments in maternal and child health programmes.
Despite the progress, the WHO and UNICEF say many mothers still lack access to quality counselling and breastfeeding support, particularly in low income, conflict affected, and humanitarian crisis settings.
The two agencies say expanding skilled breastfeeding counselling, community support services, paid maternity leave, breastfeeding friendly workplaces, and stricter regulation of commercial breast milk substitutes are among the most effective and cost-efficient measures.
They estimate that wider adoption of these measures could save nearly 400,000 children’s lives and 140,000 mothers’ lives each year, while every dollar invested in breastfeeding promotion could generate an estimated 59-dollar economic return through better health, education, and future productivity.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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