Ghana joins commemoration of world breastfeeding week

As Ghana joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2022 world breastfeeding week, a Paediatric Nurse Specialist with the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Mercy Aseye Bockor, has reemphasized the need for new mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for at least 6 months before incorporating solid foods into the diet of babies.

She asserts that breast milk provides a variety of nutritional qualities that are essential for a baby’s early development, and thus should be the only food fed to babies.

Speaking on this year’s theme: step up for breastfeeding: Educate and support, Mercy Aseye Bockor revealed that exclusive breastfeeding was not only beneficial to babies, but it was also important for the mother and the family as a whole.

She noted that as the baby is breastfed well, it maintains good health saving the whole family the stress of spending and having to take care of the baby to regain its health.

She added that “researchers have come out to say that breastfeeding actually helps in preventing ovarian cancer as well as diabetes and most chronic diseases. So we try to educate the public to encourage them to do exclusive breastfeeding. At least 4-6months and can continue to like 2 years if the mother has the potential and introduce other nutritious complementary foods as well.”

She called on government to provide health professionals with more incentives and financial support to motivate them to educate and encourage breastfeeding among mothers.

She however added that government could also play a role in encouraging breastfeeding if it developed policies to assist breastfeeding mothers.

To her breastfeeding mothers should be given six months maternity leave “because we want to ensure that exclusive breastfeeding is done for the first six months. So if the leave can be extended so that they enjoy and have time to breastfeed their baby, it will also help.”

Background

The world breastfeeding week which was started in 1992 is an annual celebration held from August 1 to August 7 in more than 120 countries.

The goal of the celebration is to highlight the importance of breastfeeding, encourage and promote breastfeeding, and improve the health of babies and mothers. 

The week is also celebrated to promote, protect and support the rights of women breastfeeding anywhere at any time.

Breastfeeding week celebration in Ghana

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has dedicated the month of August to the celebration of breastfeeding with a series of activities planned.

In a press release on August 1, 2022, the GHS indicated that target audiences including governments, health systems, workplaces, and communities will be informed, educated, and empowered to strengthen their capacity to provide and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments for families in the post-pandemic world.

It said the campaign will highlight the links between breastfeeding and good nutrition, food security, and reduction of inequalities.