Sokoto State Governor’s Wife Urges Mothers to Embrace Exclusive Breastfeeding

Sokoto State Governor’s wife, Mrs Mariya Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has urged mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding of babies to ensure healthy living at all times.

Mrs Tambuwal made the call at a symposium organized by an NGO, Alive and Thrive, in partnership with her pet project, Mariya Tambuwal Development Initiative (MTDI), to Mark the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week in Sokoto, with the theme, Step Up Breastfeeding: Educate and Support.

Mariya Tambuwal who was represented by the wife of the Commissioner for Health, Dr Asma’u Inname, urged mothers to consider first breast milk after child delivery, which serve as first Immunizations to new born baby.

She further called on mothers to ensure exclusive breastfeeding of the babies until after six months due to nutritional contents in the mothers’ breast milk.

“Breastfeeding a child up to six months, assist in effective development of a child’s intelligent Quotient (IQ),there by protects the child from various diseases.

“If a child is healthy the parents will always have rest of mind and have an improved living standard,” She explained.

She reiterated her organization’s commitment to partners, all relevant stakeholders including the government to provide more awareness to women across the State.

The Sokoto State Coordinator of Alive and Thrive, a Non Governmental Organization, Saratu Mu’azu, said the initiative was aimed at inculcating exclusive breastfeeding and other good habits among women.

Mu’azu said arrangement is also designed to extend the awareness programme on exclusive breastfeeding and other healthy habits to women especially at the grassroots.

Dr Nuhu Maishanu, the Chief Medical Director of Sokoto State Specialist Hospital, who represented Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Ali Inname, commended the organizers and assured continuous working partnership in order to achieve the desired results.

The representative of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Mrs Ngozi Nwachukwu, commended the partners for making the event a reality.

Mrs Nwachukwu said the day was set aside by United Nations every first week of August, every year to sensitize mothers on the benefits of adopting exclusive breastfeeding to child health.

She said the organization would continue to provide all necessary support in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders to promote exclusive breastfeeding in the state.

In his remarks, the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar, urged government to take full ownership of breastfeeding Programmes in the state.

Umar also called on government to provide adequate awareness to assist in creating more awareness and education on breastfeeding.