Health Minister Muluzi call to scale up breastfeeding awareness
Minister of Heath Atupele Muluzi has called on stakeholders to scale up awareness among communities on the importance of breastfeeding.
Minister Muluzi made the call Tuesday when he launched World Breastfeeding at Manica ground at the Balaka Boma.
He said many women in the country do not follow proper breastfeeding practices due to reasons such as work, and fashion among other things which hider a child’s growth.
Muluzi explained that as Malawi is launching the breastfeeding week, there is need to reflect on good breastfeeding practices and ensure that they are followed.
“The day was set aside by the World Alliance for Breast Feeding Action in 1991 in order to promote breastfeeding. As we are launching this day today, let us all reflect on good ways of feeding our babies which is breastfeeding. If we exclusively breastfeed our babies, we will not have a lot of child deaths,” the Minister said.
He called on men in the country to take an active role in promoting breastfeeding by always reminding their wives to exclusively breastfeed their children and avoid giving nursing mothers too much work.
“Let me take this opportunity to congratulate Balaka District Hospital for scooping position one on issues to do with breastfeeding. I have also been told that apart from this, you are also doing well on the concept of reducing open dedication, this is a commendable job and you have full the support of my ministry,” Muluzi said.
District Health Officer (DHO) for Balaka, Dr Eugene Katenga-Kaunda, concurred with the minister saying there is need to scale up messages of breast feeding across the country.
The minister toured the Balaka District Hospital where he cheered breastfeeding mothers in the wards.
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