By Philip Yatai

Nutrition Stakeholders in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, on Thursday organised a symposium for students of Nutrition and Dietetics, Kaduna Polytechnic, as part of campaigns to promote breastfeeding practices.

The Assistant State Nutrition Officer, Mr Adams George, said at the event in Kaduna, that the goal was to sensitise students on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, to catch them young.

George explained that the event was part of activities to commemorate the 2021 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), with the theme, “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility”.

He explained that the week-long campaign, which commenced on Aug. 1, through Aug. 7, was to mobilise the support of all stakeholders in creating an enabling environment for optimal breastfeeding practices.

He added that the symposium, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), was designed to enlighten students on the benefits of breastfeeding and enlist their support in promoting and protecting breastfeeding practice.

According to him, this will motivate the students to support their mothers to practice optimal breastfeeding for the healthy growth and development of the child.

Dr Zakari Adam, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Kaduna, pointed out that the early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding were very critical to the growth and survival of a child.

Adam, who was represented by Mrs Chinwe Ezeife, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna, noted that optimal breastfeeding practices would be successful with the full support of relevant stakeholders.

According to him, breastfeeding is not the sole responsibility of the mother, but the collective responsibility of all stakeholders, family, policy makers, employers, community members and other critical stakeholders.

“We must all join hands to provide an enabling environment for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies at home, workplaces and other public places,” he said.

He advised mothers against giving their infants breastmilk substitute, stressing that breast milk contained all the needed nutrients for health growth and development of all children.

He pledged UNICEF’s continued support to Kaduna state in promoting optimal breastfeeding practices to ensure that all children had a good start in life and grew to full potential.

Hajiya Hauwa Usman, Nutrition Specialist, Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRiN), said that early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding should be promoted and protected.

Usman said that beyond promotion of breastfeeding, ANRiN was committed to providing quality nutrition services for children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls in communities.

Earlier, Mr Aliyu Hassan of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Dean, School of Technology, said that the symposium would improve the knowledge of the students and the polytechnic community,on breastfeeding.

Hassan, who is also the Assistant President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter, noted that adequate breastfeeding would make children intelligent, healthy and reduce medical cost.

“This will enable children to grow to full potential and contribute to development in the society and the nation,” he said.