By: Problyn J. Alpha
The Deputy Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Kono District Brima Bangura has said that farming or gardening is the road map to exclusive breastfeeding. Mr. Bangura made the statement during the official launch of this year’s World Breastfeeding week at the Kono District Health Management Team Conference Hall, Bona Street in Koidu City on the Theme” Step up for breastfeeding Educate and support”.
He said for exclusive breastfeeding to be on a sound footing, lactating mothers have to be exclusively fed and therefore implored all and sundry to embark on either farming or gardening so that enough food will be available for the enhancement of exclusive
Breast feeding.
Delivery of the keynote address, the Kono District Infection Prevention and control focal person, Mariama Mani maintained that breast milk is the best food for children from age zero to twenty-four (24) months. She noted that exclusive breastfeeding on demand always makes the children grow healthy.
The Kono District Infection Prevention and control focal person concluded by saying that the proper caring, positioning and handling of the breast whilst breastfeeding the babies are very important and therefore urged lactating mothers to maintain the aforementioned processes whilst breastfeeding their babies.
Making a statement the Reproduction Maternal Newborn child adolescent Health Unit of Partners in Health (PIH) representative Patricia Efe Azikowe told the audience that the world breast feeding week celebration is an annual event that explains the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the well-being of children from age zero to twenty-four months.
She said the importance of exclusive breastfeeding is not only limited to the babies but also the lactating mothers and their respective families.
According to her the following are the importance of exclusive breastfeeding;
It controls bleeding after delivery, it avoids unnecessary expenditures, it improves the bond between the children and their mothers and breast milk is medicinal she observed.
Madam Azikiwe thanked all present for making the celebration a success and pledged the unflinching support of partners in Health at all times. Frank Aiah Francis Funday is the Marketer and I.T Officer Orange Kono Branch in his statement he foremost underscored exclusive breast-feeding to be done simultaneously with the market of the newly born babies and their mothers.
He further recommended the following: the inclusion of men in the celebration of world breastfeeding week every year, and the Production of ring back tunes with the message of the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.
Similar statements were also made by the representative of the Inter-Religious Council, Kono District and the Chairman Peripheral Health Unit staff in Kono District, Albert Osman Vandi among many others. The official launch of the celebration was chaired by the Station Manager of Radio New Song F.M. 91.3 in Kono District Problyn John Alpha and the distribution of certificates and gifts to deserving lactating mothers and pregnant
Women climaxed in the celebration.
