ISLAMABAD: A joint report by the World Health Organisation and Unicef claims that no country in the world meets recommended breastfeeding standards and only 23 countries have exclusive breastfeeding rates above 60pc.

The report says that Pakistan stands at 18pc for ‘Early initiation of breastfeeding’, and only 37.7pc of women practice “exclusive breastfeeding” for six months.

The report was released in connection with World Breastfeeding Week, which stretches from Aug 1 to Aug 7 and aims to raise awareness among young mothers of the benefits of breastfeeding.

WHO, Unicef report on breastfeeding released in connection with World Breastfeeding Week

Statistics suggest that 44pc of Pakistan children are stunted, which means they may be short for their age or have poor cognition. Compliance with early initiation of breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding and complimentary breastfeeding for two years could significantly reduce stunting in Pakistan.

According to an official statement issued by the WHO on Thursday, the promotion of breastfeeding could save the lives of 820,000 children under the age of five globally, by achieving greater rates of breastfed children.

Evidence has shown that breastfeeding has cognitive and health benefits for both infants and mothers. Children who are exclusively breastfed for the first six months are 14 times more likely to survive than children who are not.

Breastfeeding helps prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia, which are major causes of deaths in infants.

Mothers who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancer, two leading causes of death among women.

WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated that breastfeeding gives babies the best possible start in life.

“Breast-milk works like a baby’s first vaccine as it protects infants from potentially deadly diseases and [gives] them all the nourishment they need to survive and thrive,” he said.

The WHO statement claimed that the Global Breastfeeding Collective is working to enable more mothers to breastfeed by enforcing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, so that breast-milk substitute companies cannot mislead women.

“Breastfeeding is not a single woman’s job. Mothers need assistance and support from their healthcare providers, families, employers, communities and governments and together, we can support women to breastfeed and protect the health and well-being of future generations,” the statement said.

According to the Nutrition Civil Society Alliance Pakistan, 22pc of newborn deaths could be prevented if the government and other concerned quarters make adequate arrangements to stop the trend of bottle feeding, which is a method used by around 50pc of Pakistani mothers.

The alliance said that breastfeeding should start within the first 24 hours of birth. It urged the implementation of the Protection of Breast-feeding and Child Nutrition Ordinance 2002 and its 2009 rules. The act, the organisation said, has not been implemented despite the passage of 15 years.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2017