By Kemo Cham
Even though it is doing great in breastfeeding generally, Sierra Leone must focus its energy on improving on Exclusive Breastfeeding, officials and campaigners have said.
The call was made ahead of the commencement of commemoration of World Breastfeeding Week (WBFW).
Experts from both government, its international development partners and civil society organizations urged the government to increase its investment in providing conducive environment for suckling mothers to breastfeed their babies.
According to the World Health Organization WHO), breast milk contains the best nutrients required for babies to grow, thanks to its protective elements, among a horde of other health and economic benefits to the child, the mother, the family and the nation as a whole.
WHO particularly encourages exclusive breastfeeding, which means that a baby is introduced to breast milk from the instance it is born and is given only breast milk and nothing else, until it is six months old.
Like in other countries, Sierra Leone has been fighting against myths and misconceptions that encourage women to rely on breast milk substitute to feed their babies.
But due to intense campaign over the last few years, there has been some improvement, as indicated by latest data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey, which shows that the country has 74 percent of early initiation of breastfeeding. This is great improvement when compared to the global average at 43 percent, officials note. Exclusive breastfeeding in Sierra Leone is at 54 percent, according to the same data source, ahead of the global number at 40 percent.
“Breastfeeding is not a problem in Sierra Leone, it is exclusive breastfeeding that is a problem,” Aminata Shamit Koroma, Director of Nutrition in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, said at a press briefing on Thursday, July 30th, organized to usher in the weeklong event that runs from August 1 to August 7.
She outlined actions taken by government and those planned in the future to help improve on the situation in Sierra Leone. Among others, according to Ms Koroma, the government intends to make available breastfeeding counselling in health facilities, thereby training health workers and providing them the resources needed to do so. The plan also include converting hospitals to baby friendly facilities.
World Breastfeeding Week, designated by the WHO, is used as a means to raise awareness on breastfeeding and to gauge progress in implementation of related international agreements.
The theme for this y ear’s commemoration is: ‘Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet.’
This year’s event also presents a unique reality, coming as the world battles the Covid-19 global pandemic. But officials stressed that there can be no excuse for mothers not to breastfeed their babies.
All suckling mothers have to do is to follow all infection prevention control measures, noted Ms Koroma.
Addressing the press via a video link, a representative of the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, Katherine Faigao, stressed the need for government to invest on improving the environment to promote breastfeeding, linking it to national development. She also emphasized on the need for breastfeeding counselling.
“Breastfeeding is an important building block for sustainable development,” said Ms Faigao, who is the agency’s Nutrition Specialist, adding: “Feeding babies with breast milk substitutes have negative effect on them.
The presser was launched on behalf of the Chief Medical Officer of Sierra Leone, Dr Rev. Thomas T. Samba, who through a statement read on his behalf restated government’s commitment to providing the enabling environment for babies to grow to their full potential.
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