In Gombe State, breastfeeding mothers have shared their positive experiences with exclusively breastfeeding their children for the first six months.
These testimonies were given during the 2024 Breastfeeding Awareness Week events, organized by the Gombe State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
The initiative, according to Health Commissioner, Dr. Habu Dahiru, aims to increase the number of exclusively breastfed children in the state.
Mothers including Hauwa’u Aliyu Umar, Blessing Michael, Maryam Umar Adamu, Hauwa Abubakar Yuguda, and Fatima Jallo spoke about how exclusive breastfeeding resulted in their children being healthier, plumper, and less prone to illness compared to non-breastfed children.
They urged other lactating mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding, emphasizing the savings on medical expenses and the prevention of malnutrition.
These mothers also noted that their children exhibited higher intelligence quotients for their ages, strongly recommending exclusive breastfeeding for all mothers.
Addressing the 2024 Breastfeeding Week theme, “Closing the Gap: Supporting Breastfeeding for a Healthier Future.”
The Wife of the Gombe State Governor, Mrs. Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya, highlighted the importance of bridging disparities to ensure every child has an equal start in life through breastfeeding support.
She noted the critical nature of the event due to ongoing nutrition challenges, citing that only 30.7% of infants in Gombe State were breastfed within the first hour of birth according to MICS 2021 data.
Represented by the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Asma’u Iganus, Mrs. Yahaya called for collaboration among governments, healthcare providers, employers, communities, and families to create a supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers.
Health Commissioner Dr. Dahiru reported that “Approximately 50% of mothers worldwide adhere to exclusive breastfeeding, approaching the 50% compliance benchmark set for 2025.”
He emphasized the numerous benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, including better nourishment, improved immunity, and a reduction in illnesses and malnutrition, saving approximately 820,000 children annually.
Dr. Dahiru highlighted government policies designed to support exclusive breastfeeding, such as creating workplace crèches and approving maternity leave to allow mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children.
