Enugu — Enugu State Government yesterday stressed the need for nursing mothers in both rural and urban areas in the state to imbibe the culture of exclusive breast feeding especially for a period of six months after delivery.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Fidelia Akpa, who spoke on the activities of Breast Feeding Support Groups (BFSGs) in all the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, expressed dismay that some women were afraid to embrace the initiative on the ground that their breast would be disfigured.
Akpa, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Moses Otiji, explained that the ongoing exclusive breast feeding campaigns organised by the government was initiated "to toe along the line of the international agenda on breast feeding."
The commissioner expressed satisfaction that the campaign was already yielding the desired result, adding that many rural women have embraced it.
According to her, women were not expected to give their children anything including water within the period of Exclusive Breast Feeding.
She averred that exclusive breast feeding helps to prevent infections during the early life of the child, adding that breast milk contains all the anti bodies that fight infections.
While expressing satisfaction that working class women were already imbibing the culture, she disclosed that the campaigns were taken to rural areas during the last August meeting.
In her contribution, the Baby Friendly Initiative Coordinator in the state Ministry of Health, Mrs Enenwali Pauline Nonye, disclosed that "all the LGAs in the state have Breast Feeding Support Groups( BRSGs) that help the nursing mothers achieve their breast feeding intentions and solve their breast feeding difficulties."
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