By Kemo Cham
The Sierra Leone Government has given the go-ahead for the drafting of a code for the regulation of Breastmilk substitute, a major gain for nutrition campaigners.
The decision was taken by Cabinet on Wednesday, January 8, sources revealed this week Tuesday.
The Sierra Leone National Code for the Regulation of the Marketing of Breastmilk substitute will determine guidelines on the production and import of all baby foodstuff that serve as substitute for Breastmilk. It will also control, crucially, how these substitute foodstuff are promoted in the country.
The goal of those who propagated the idea is to curtail the reliance of new parents on Breastmilk substitutes, which they say have little or no nutritional benefits on the babies and therefore contributes to malnutrition.
The move is part of the country’s campaign against a high rate of malnutrition which contributes to a whole of health issues confronting it, notably maternal and infant mortality.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers Breastmilk as the best source of nutrients for babies, particularly exclusive breastfeeding for babies up to six months of birth.
Only 52.2% of children in Sierra Leone get breastfed as required, according to the country's Multiple Indicator Survey. Only about 60 percent of babies under six months get exclusively breastfed, the data show.
Campaigners hope that a code to regulate infant formulas will help shield parents from misleading marketing strategies that lure people into reliance on Breastmilk substitutes.
This campaign is also geared towards fulfilling a global commitment in the fight against the phenomenon.
Last week's cabinet approval comes after over a decade of campaign for this. The health NGO, Focus 1000, has been at the forefront of this campaign led by the Sierra Leone Code Committee, which has welcomed the news.
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