By Sani Idris
As the celebration of the 2023 world breasts feeding week continues, a group of panelists has harped on the need for provision of creches in all the Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Kaduna to encourage lactating mothers breastfeed their children during working hours.
The panelists made the call on Monday in Kaduna during a one-day strategic dialogue agenda meeting organised by the Department of Aid Coordination, Kaduna Planning and Budget Commission with support from UNICEF.
One of the Panelist, Mrs Chinwe Ezeife, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, said that breast milk contains everything baby needs for the first six months of life in all the right proportions.
She added that breast milk composition changes according to babies changing needs, especially during the first month of life.
Ezeife, therefore said in view of that, Kaduna MDAs should ensure provision of creches for babies to enjoy uninterrupted six months of breastfeeding by their mothers while at working place.
She stress that UNICEF was working towards ensuring the provision of creches at all the MDAs a reality.
Similarly, another panelist, the Project Manager of Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria, (ANRiN), Dr. Zainab Muhammad-Idris , said that breast milk provides optimal nutrition for babies.
She noted that It has the right amount of nutrients and easily digest and is readily available at birth.
Muhammad-Idris who is a medical practitioner, added that breastfeeding also reduces the disease burden for mothers.
She however said that to sustain breastfeeding to the appropriate time, creches must be established in MDAs to enable lactating mothers breastfeed their children during working hours.
Also, Mrs Mary Ocholi, a teacher at Essense International School, said that they have keyed into the six months maternity leave and were working towards establishment a creche for breastfeeding mothers (Teachers).
Giving credence to these, some lactating mothers who were also panelists at the events, described the benefits of having creches at working places to enable breast feeding infant babies during working hours as very important to productivity.
Mrs Esther Anthony, a staff at one of the MDAs in Kaduna, said she enjoyed the six months paid maternity leave.
She added that her organisation also has a creche for lactating mothers to enable delivery of services uptimumly while breastfeeding their infact babies during working hours.
Earlier, The Director Development Aid Coordination, PBC, said the meeting was aimed at advocating for optimal breastfeeding.
She added that the meeting was also to sustain the gains of the approved extended six months maternity policy and practice by the Kaduna state government.
“It is also to advocate for the establishment of creches and lactating rooms in the public and private sector,”she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
