Imo  Govt To Provide Enabling Environment for Breastfeeding Mothers

By Rozzita Iwunwa

Imo  State Government has joined it’s counterparts across the world to commemorate the 2023 World Breastfeeding week.

The event which Kick-started  with a road walk from Freedom Square to the state Ministry of Health located at the Secretariat complex Owerri  was organized by Imo State Ministry of Health in Collaboration with Imo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ISPHCDA), and was  flagged off by the Wife of the State Governor Bar. Chioma Uzodimma.

Briefing newsmen immediately after the road walk, the State Commissioner for Health said that the “World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action” a global network of individuals and organizations concerned with the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding world wide designated 1st to 7th of every August annually as World Breastfeeding week.

He urged breastfeeding mother’s to follow the World Health Assembly recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, introduction of adequate complementary feeding from the 6th month and continued breastfeeding for 2years or more.

Dr. Prosper Ohayagha Success

The Health Commissioner further appealed to Imo Citizens,  husbands of breastfeeding mother’s to support them to adhere strictly to the recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding

and to provide enabling environment to achieve successful breastfeeding.

“While we look forward to approval of 24 weeks pay maternity leave for Working mothers, we also look forward to 2 weeks pay paternity leave for father’s and mandatory establishment of creche’s in both public and private work places in the state'”