Ministry of Health observes World Breastfeeding Week with activities all month long

Published by BBNTEAM at August 3, 2021

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Posted: Tuesday, August 3, 2021. 1:24 pm CST.

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The Ministry of Health & Wellness said on Tuesday that it is joining the international community in observing World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to 7 and with activities all month long since August is World Breastfeeding Month.

In a press release, the Ministry said this year’s theme “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility” is a call on all to protect a mother and baby’s right to breastfeeding. The Ministry of Health said breastfeeding is “a shared responsibility among the health system, the community, the workplace and the home.”

The Ministry of Health & Wellness said it will have “educational sessions at hospitals, social media campaigns, production of an advertisement and the certification of two polyclinics as Mother and Baby Friendly.”

On top of that, the Ministry said that in collaboration with its partners (UNICEF, INCAP, PAHO and Bottom Dalla), the Ministry’s Nutrition Unit will have activities that highlight the importance of breastfeeding throughout August.

According to the Ministry of Health, “these collaborations will help to meet this year’s campaign objective which include:

1. To inform people about the importance of protecting breast feeding;

2. To anchor breastfeeding support as an important public health responsibility;

3. To engage with individuals and organizations for greater impact; and

4. To galvanize action on protecting breastfeeding in order to improve public health.”

Stating that ‘Breastfeeding is the best nutrition for babies, the Ministry said it continues encouraging exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life with its continuation for up to two years.

“Breastfeeding provides numerous benefits for both baby and mother,” said the Ministry of Health. “For babies, it provides all the necessary nutrients to their growth and development, as well as development of a great immune response to prevent babies from getting sick. For mothers, it protects them from cancer, reduces the risk of post-partum depression, and it promotes loss of baby weight.”

The Ministry of Health & Wellness said it thanks all its partners for their continued support.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health also noted that the COVID-19 vaccine has been approved safe for all pregnant and breastfeeding women, so it is encouraging them to get vaccinated.

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