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Govt reports 20% increase in exclusive breastfeeding
A mother breastfeeds her baby in Uganda. PHOTO/TONNY ABET
What you need to know:
- In 2016, Uganda's breastfeeding rate was 66 percent. Currently, it stands at 87 percent.
The Division of Nutrition at the Health Ministry has reported a 20 percentage point increase in the proportion of mothers practising exclusive breastfeeding between 2016 and 2022.
Addressing journalists in a two-day training on breastfeeding, which ended on Wednesday, Samalie Namukose, the assistant commissioner for nutrition at the Division, said the country’s exclusive breastfeeding rate is at 87 percent. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended by the government for the baby's first six months of life.
"In 2016, Uganda's breastfeeding rate was 66 percent. Currently, it stands at 87 percent and our goal is to reach 95 percent by the end of 2025,” Namukose noted during the training organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
She explained that the Ministry encourages exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the baby's life because of the nutritional and health benefits of breast milk and that it is sufficient for the baby.
According to information from Unicef: "Breast milk is the best and most complete food for babies during the first 1,000 days of life, helping to prevent diseases and boosting their brain development."
Namukose also warned against the aggressive promotion of breast milk substitutes, saying the government would arrest those involved in the practice. She said the substitutes should only be given in extreme situations where the mother cannot produce breastmilk.
Last week, during the launch of World Breastfeeding Week in Kampala on Friday, Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, the head of public health at the Ministry, said they would increase enforcement and support relevant programs to ensure all babies get this essential breast milk.
"We have a responsibility to help the mothers to make better choices regarding breastfeeding and their infants through improving funding for breastfeeding programs and enforcement of the legislation to end aggressive promotion of breastfeeding substitutes," Dr Kyabayinze said.
Namukose, on the other hand, asked employers to ensure there are breastfeeding corners in the workplaces. She also said the government is working to have breast milk banks in public health facilities to increase access for mothers unable to produce breast milk or babies who lose their mothers.
