By Muhammad Auwal
As the world marks 2019 Breastfeeding Week, Lagos State Government has called on mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding to promote the health of their babies.
The wife of the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, made the call during dinner to mark the closing ceremony of a three-day workshop organised by National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), in collaboration with Peace and Advocacy Initiative in Abuja.
The World Breastfeeding Week, inaugurated in 1991 from August 1 to August 7, is an annual event held in over 120 countries across the globe to promote breastfeeding as antidote for mother/child wellbeing.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the 2019 Breastfeeding Week will focus on implementing
maternity and paternity leave, along with a parent-friendly work environment.
Mrs Oluremi, therefore, said that engaging in exclusive breastfeeding would protect the baby from diseases, as well as foster healthy growth and development in the child.
She added that “Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 is World Breastfeeding Week, we try to do exclusive breastfeeding and encourage mothers to do same.
“As for me, my mother breastfed me for almost three years and you can see the difference.
“So, when we encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies, the child will be well-fed and a well-breastfed baby will have
less visits to hospital.”
Oluremi reiterated the Lagos State Government’s commitment toward supporting the people, especially women.
