Ministry rolls out breastfeeding campaign

In a bid to increase the levels of breastfeeding, the Ministry of Health and various development partners are set to educate the population on the importance of exclusively breastfeeding babies for the first six months A nutritional expert at the Ministry, Alphonsine Nyirahabineza, said continued breastfeeding with appropriate complementary feeding for at least two years, was necessary “We have started a programme of educating Community Health Workers on counselling mothers and caregivers on Infant and Young Child Nutrition + Mother’s Nutrition; this programme targets the whole country.” Nyirahabineza told the New Times.Breast milk is the best food for infants. Nutritionists say there is really no substitute from any other commercial milk products that compares with the many health benefits of breast milk. The World Health Organisation now recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months to promote health. In Rwanda, breastfeeding is a common practice amongst mothers though the practice is inappropriately carried out. Nyirahabineza says promoting optimal child feeding makes it possible to reduce child deaths. The practice of breast-feeding and optimal complementary feeding, respectively, constitute the first and the third most effective preventive interventions of child mortality. “It is very important for all new born babies to have at least consumed natural milk from their mother as much as possible, even for a short period of time,” she advises.According to the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey, the number of infants exclusively breastfed declined from 88 percent in 2005 to 61 percent in 2010. This means that 60 percent of children aged four to five months are exclusively breastfed. The report indicates that Rwandan mothers use a bottle to feed children with breast milk substitutes or very watery gruel made from cereal flour, which are both contra-indicated.Experts warn that inappropriate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices are major factors affecting infant and child mortality. Children from zero to six months who are not breastfed have seven and five times higher risk of dying from diarrhoea and pneumonia, respectively. According to the 2002 KAP study, complementary foods are introduced too early starting at four months or too late at 12 months.Research also shows that women in urban centres breastfeed less compared to their rural based counterparts. This is usually attributed to the fact that the former are taken up by work responsibilities hence overlooking to breastfeed children after the usual three month maternity leave.However, nutritionists say breastfeeding mothers can store breast milk in a clean container adding that such milk remains safe. It is however recommended that milk needs a little warmth before it is fed to the baby.Some of the strategies that the Ministry of Health will put in place are to advocate for breastfeeding women employed in all (private and public) sectors by modifying the law in favour of breastfeeding. These would be through having paid maternity leave periods, prolongation of maternity leave, creation of breast-feeding space in the work place and public areas among others.Other strategies are to promote breastfeeding activities by establishing support groups at the community level, promotion of continuous breastfeeding up to 24 months or more, with an appropriate complementary feeding from six months and institutionalise the celebration of the national breastfeeding week in the national calendar.Nutritionists say a mother’s milk provides children with the right immunisation system that contains anti-bodies that fight against harmful viruses and bacteria. It helps the body to develop resistance against respiratory infections, oral thrush, diarrhoea and other common infant illnessesBreast milk is the best prevention for all common allergies for babies. It contains large amounts of secretory immunoglobin A (IgA), an anti-body found in the lining of the intestines which blocks the absorption of allergy-causing substances into the bloodstream.

National

Ministry rolls out breastfeeding campaign