The Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun has again admonished nursing mothers in the state to practice exclusive breast feeding for their well being and healthy growth and development of their babies.
The First Lady gave this admonition at the wrap up of the 2022 breastfeeding campaign week organized by her Foundation, Ajose, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health held at Primary Health Center, Leslie Road, Ilaro.
According to her, breastfeeding provides every child with the best possible start in life and delivers health, nutritional and emotional benefits to both children and mothers.
She said exclusive breastfeeding for the First 6 months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years and beyond provides an infant the best start possible to life adding that breast milk is safe and clean with adequate provision of energy and nutrients an infant needs for the few months of life.
Mrs. Abiodun noted that early introduction of breatfeeding, within one hour of birth, protects the newborn from infectious and chronic diseases, facilitates emotional bonding of mother and child as well as reduces newborn mortality.
Speaking on the theme “Step Up for Breatfeeding: Educate and Support”, Her Excellency, opined that it was time to revisit the professional obligations of the health workers by priotizing breastfeeding-friendly environment for mothers and babies.
She said, “The Ogun state government is poised to support the promotion of breastfeeding education across the various health institutions, communities and organizations.
My foundation, Ajose, will work with the state government to ensure that the EBR rate is improved from 20.95 to about 50% in one year. This is the target to be achieved by year 2025 as set by the World Health Assembly.”
She called on all for continued support and education through concerted action and collaboration at ensuring that every mother had access to skilled breastfeeding counseling and empowering her to give her baby the best possible start in life.
In her good will message, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker said that breastfeeding was an ancient role and should not be replaced by baby formula which according to her had also be dropped by western world to fully embrace breastfeeding.
In her health talk, President, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Ogun state Chapter, Dr. Olabisi Dedeke demonstrated how best to position babies to the breast for maximum and satisfying feeding urging mothers to maintain good sitting posture while breast feeding their babies to avert back pain and discomfort in the process.
Mrs. Abiodun presented all mothers present at the occasion with food items and specially presented well fed babies with cash gifts.
In the same vein, Mrs. Abiodun simultaneously took the breastfeeding campaign to Ijebu Imushin and Oke Ilewo in Abeokuta where mothers and babies were also presented with food and baby items.
Mrs. Funke Oyeneye, Wife of Permanent Secretary, Public Service Transformation Office, represented the First Lady at the Abeokuta South Local Government Primary Health Center, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta while Mrs. Olusola Gazal, Wife of Chairman, Ijebu Ode Local Government represented her at the Ijebu Imushin Primary Health Center.
