Abia Targets 80% Exclusive Breastfeeding

Abia State Government
says it has recorded improvement in exclusive breastfeeding, attributing the feat to a sustained enlightenment campaign on the inestimable gains of the practice.
Abia State Commissioner for Health, Mr. Okechukwu Ogah, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Umuahia, said the state had recorded 37 per cent progress this year, as against 30 per cent recorded in 2013. He hinted that 80 per cent is targeted by 2015.
He encouraged nursing mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding at least, for the first six months after birth as it had been globally proved to be the best way of reducing infant mortality as well as reducing the risk of breast cancer among mothers.
According to him, breast feeding has remained a tested child survival strategy recommended by the World Health Organisation. He added that it also cements the affinity between mother and child.
His words, “Breastfeeding is the best for every child because it boosts immunity, reduces the mother’s risk of breast cancer and serves as natural family plan as a lactating mother scarcely takes in.”
He faulted the erroneous assumption by some misinformed nursing mothers, who abstain from the practice on the false claims that it causes sagging of breasts. He maintained that the gains of breast feeding are globally incontrovertible.
Ogah, during the briefing, jointly organised with the WHO, announced that the state had also taken some proactive measures to contain the possible outbreak of the dreaded Ebola pandemic ravaging some West African countries.
He said the government had, in addition to placing all hospitals in the state on red alert, designated some hospital wards across the state to treat likely victims.
Ogah, however, expressed the hope that the disease would not spread to the state as both the Federal Government and WHO are stepping up efforts to contain the pandemic.
The commissioner said although no case of Ebola has been reported in the state, the government was not leaving anything to chances, as it has also commenced intensive public sensitization on both the dangers and preventive measures to keep the pandemic off the shores of the state.