KATHMANDU, Aug 1: World Breastfeeding Week, observed annually during the first week of August, begins today.
This year's campaign is being observed under the theme, "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works." The campaign highlights the need to strengthen proven breastfeeding support through health systems, communities, workplaces and government policies for the benefit of both mothers and newborns.
The week is being marked worldwide with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), national health ministries and civil society organizations.
According to the WHO, many mothers and families around the world still lack access to essential health services, counseling and support needed to make breastfeeding easier.
Benefits of breastfeeding
World Breastfeeding Week 2019 begins with slogan 'Empower pare...
Breastfeeding is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect an infant's health. It provides essential nutrition, strengthens immunity, protects against serious illnesses and plays a vital role in brain development.
The WHO also says breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for mothers by reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases such as breast and ovarian cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Breastfeeding rates improving
Globally, breastfeeding rates have been improving. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life increased from about 37 percent in 2012 to more than 47 percent today.
Similarly, the proportion of children who continue breastfeeding up to the age of two has risen from 38 percent to 50 percent over the past five years.
According to the WHO and UNICEF, these gains reflect the positive impact of investments in policies and programs supporting mothers and families.
Measures to promote breastfeeding
The WHO says the most effective and cost-efficient measures to promote breastfeeding include skilled counseling through health facilities, community-based support services, paid maternity leave, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces and stronger regulation of the marketing of commercial breast milk substitutes.
Expanding these interventions could save an estimated 400,000 children's lives and 140,000 mothers' lives each year, the WHO estimates. It also says every US$1 invested in breastfeeding promotion generates an estimated US$59 in economic returns through lower healthcare costs, improved cognitive development, better educational outcomes and higher future earnings.
On the occasion of this year's World Breastfeeding Week, the WHO and UNICEF have called on governments to expand quality breastfeeding services for mothers and newborns, strengthen community-based counseling, effectively implement the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, ensure paid maternity leave and breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, and integrate breastfeeding support into pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care services.
The WHO also recalled that the World Health Assembly recognized World Breastfeeding Week as an important health promotion strategy in 2018, stressing that governments, health institutions, employers, communities and families must work together to ensure every child gets the best possible start in life and every mother receives the support she needs.
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