Keta: The Keta Municipal Health Directorate in the Volta Region has urged the public to prioritize, support, and convey the message of breastfeeding among lactating mothers to support this year's World Breastfeeding Week.
According to Ghana News Agency, the exercise would provide essential nutrients, boost the immune system, and promote bonding between mothers and their children. Madam Dora Kugbonu, the Public Health Promotion Officer at the Keta Health Directorate, emphasized the importance of the campaign, which began on August 1 and is set to conclude on August 7, 2025. She noted that breastfeeding is a crucial method to ensure the health and well-being of infants and young children.
Madam Kugbonu highlighted the challenges that many mothers face, including lack of support, inadequate education, and unsupportive environments, which can lead to lower breastfeeding rates and negatively impact children's health and development. She stressed the need for a sustainable support system that includes education, training for quality healthcare delivery, and promoting breastfeeding-friendly policies in workplaces and public spaces.
The theme of this year's World Breastfeeding Week focuses on the collective role in supporting mothers to breastfeed successfully. Madam Kugbonu called on individuals, communities, healthcare providers, employers, and policymakers to collaborate and create an environment that allows mothers to breastfeed without difficulties.
She emphasized that prioritizing breastfeeding and creating a conducive environment for lactating mothers would contribute to a healthier and more sustainable future for all babies. Good breastfeeding practices have numerous benefits, such as improving health outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and increasing productivity.
Madam Kugbonu urged stakeholders, institution heads, and individuals to help create a world where breastfeeding is valued, supported, and prioritized, and where mothers have the resources they need to breastfeed their children with ease. The Keta Municipal Health Directorate has planned several activities, including house-to-house public education and free screening exercises, to mark and promote World Breastfeeding Week. The theme for this year is "Prioritising Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support System."
