The Niger State Government has expressed concern over the decline in Early Initiated Breastfeeding, EIB, rates in the state from 42 percent in 2018 to 35.5 percent in 2023.
The decline was revealed in a report by the National Demographic Health Survey, NDHS.
The State Nutrition Officer, Hajia Asmau Abubakar commented on the report during a 5-Day Desk Review and Domestication of Social and Behaviour Change, SBC, Strategy for Nutrition in Niger State, organized by the State Ministry of Primary Health Care in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, in Minna.
She emphasized the importance of breastfeeding, ideally for at least 24 months after birth while stressing the need for mothers to initiate their newborns early to breast milk – especially the colostrum which some tag as bad breast milk.
“While only one out of three babies are given breast milk in the first hour after birth, only a poorly 29% are exclusively breastfed,” she said.
Hajiya Abubakar also revealed that for under-5 children, the state has 43.9 percent stunting cases, 23.7 percent underweight as well as 5.8 percent wasting.
The Chief of UNICEF, Kaduna Officer, Dr. Gerida Birukila stated that Nigeria contributes significantly to the burden of malnutrition and accounts for over 40 percent of the burden of stunting alongside India and Pakistan.
Birukila who was represented by Chinwe Ezeife, UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, explained that progress have been made, but the burden of malnutrition represents a nationwide public health challenge.
Also, the Director, Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, represented by Acting Head of Advocacy, Mrs Adenike Bayode, tasked the stakeholders to mainstream SBC in Nutrition programming in order to change the narrative.
Niger Govt laments decline in Early Initiated Breastfeeding from 42% to 35.5%