The Nasarawa State Government has said it would create a desks for exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers in government offices in the state, as well as, increase maternity leave from 3 to six months.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Jenet Angbazo made the disclosure in Lafia during a rally organized by the ministry to commemorate the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week.
Angbazo said exclusive breastfeeding would address obstacles militating against achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
According to her, the theme of the celebration, “Let’s make Breastfeeding and Work, Work!” focuses on breastfeeding and work, noting that, it provides stakeholders a strategic opportunity to advocate for essential maternity rights that support breastfeeding.
Angbazo said that that the challenges at work-place remained one of the common reason why women don’t do exclusive breastfeeding.
“We will, therefore, ensure that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state create friendly environment to support nursing mothers to do exclusive breastfeeding.
“We will, therefore, ensure that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state create friendly environment to support nursing mothers to do exclusive breastfeeding.
“We will also lobby the state House of Assembly to increase the maternity leave from three to six months, this will encourage exclusive breastfeeding and enable the children grow well,” She said.
Wife of the State Governor, Hajiya Silifat Sule, said the importance of breast milk to the development of children cannot be overemphasised and called on nursing mothers to take it seriously.
Silifat said that breast milk is a gift from God and should not be substituted, advising mothers to adopt the six months exclusive breastfeeding and continue to complimentary feeding thereafter
The wife of the governor, however, called on parents and guardians to entrust the care of their children to persons without questionable character, saying the “world is now full of evil.”
“Parents and guardians should closely monitor the activities of their children when they are not in the house with them.”
