ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a workshop said breastfeeding is among the most effective ways to protect maternal and child health and promote healthy growth in early childhood.

They said mother’s feed was the best means to save lives, improve health of infants and promote social and economic development.

The workshop was organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services.

The interactive discussion featured MNA Kanwal Shauzab, Senator Dr Meher Taj Roghani and Director Nutrition at the ministry Dr Abdul Baseer Khan Achakzai.

They said breastfeeding reduced maternal and child morbidity and mortality and breastfed children had higher intelligence.

Dr Achakzai said breastfeeding had profound benefits for infants that extended beyond childhood, numerous benefits for mothers and benefits for the family.

The immediate and exclusive breastfeeding is critical for the achievement of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Evidence shows that an estimated 22 per cent of newborn deaths could be prevented if breastfeeding is started within the first hour after birth,” said the doctor, adding breastfeeding also decreased the risk of developing breast cancer among mothers.

It is a natural way to protect resistance against several diseases and illness as it is 100pc nutritionally balanced diet for the newborn.

Senator Roghani said breastfeeding improves nutrition, prevents child mortality and decreases the risk of non-communicable diseases. She said in a country like Pakistan breastfeeding was also an enabler to ending poverty.

Data shared with the participants by officials from the health ministry showed that around four to five of every 10 mothers in the country initiated breastfeeding within the first hour and breastfed their newborns for six months.

However, it was noted that more awareness was needed to save children from stunting, wasting and other nutrition-related challenges.

Unicef representative shared with the participants a research report according to which infants who were not breastfed were 15 times more likely to die from pneumonia and 11 times more likely to die from diarrhoea than those who were exclusively breastfed.

The experts stressed creating awareness to promote immediate and exclusive breastfeeding.

They also called for stronger legislation on child nutrition, especially regulating breast milk substitutes such as formula milk.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2019