By Abdulai Fasineh Dumbuya
The Chief Nutritionist who is also Director of Food and Nutrition at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Aminata Shamit Koroma says there’s been a 26% decrease in the number of children with stunted growth in the country since 2021.
Koroma made the disclosure in an interview with Politico on the 23rd of August 2023.
On the impaired growth and development of children manifested by low height in contrast to age, she stated that between 2010- 2021, the number was 33.1%.
She said despite the significant drop in the number of children with stunted growth it was still not good “because the number should be below 20%.’’
“This is a serious problem because it affects the mental development of children,’’ she pointed out
She said that stunted growth is caused by a number of factors which include long-term food insecurity and repeated illnesses in children. She encouraged women to continue breastfeeding their babies more so the newborn just after birth.
World Vision, for instance, in its strategic plans to continue advocating for breastfeeding held a one-day engagement with members of parliament, to discuss an Act that regulates the marketing of breast milk substitutes. The charity asked that Parliamentarians engage members of their constituencies on the relevance of breastfeeding and solicit their cooperation.
In a bid to promote breastfeeding in the country, the government on the 6th of August 2021 joined one hundred and thirty-six other countries to enact a law to protect, promote breastfeeding, and fight against malnutrition.
Sierra Leone’s Breast Milk Substitute Act of 2021 was passed into law to address the litany of challenges in advertising baby milk. The Act ensures the regulation of the marketing and distribution of breast milk substitutes and the prohibition of aggressive and unethical advertising messages.
World Breastfeeding Day is celebrated every year from the 1st to the 7th of August with support from WHO, UNICEF, and civil society partners. The theme for 2023 World Breastfeeding Day is titled: “Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!’’.
The theme emphasizes necessary actions by policymakers, employers, and colleagues to support continued exclusive breastfeeding by working women.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (28/08/23)
