World Breastfeeding Week begins
Dhaka, Aug 1 (UNB) – The World Breastfeeding Week 2012 began today (Wednesday) in the country as elsewhere across the globe with the aim of ensuring exclusive breastfeeding for all babies up to six months of age.
The main theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is “Understanding the Past-Planning the Future”.
The World Breastfeeding Week 2012 will formally be inaugurated in the country at a function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium at 11 am.
The function will be organised by the Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN).
The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the country reached 64 percent due to government’s continued efforts, said Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Hauqe while speaking at a press conference at his office on Tuesday.
He said the newborns should be given ‘colostrum’ (first breast milk) as it jump-starts a newborn’s immune system.
“All babies up to 6 months of age should exclusively be breastfed,” he said, adding that after 6 months, babies should be given homemade foods along with breast milks.
The Health Minister urged all mothers not to be motivated by attractive advertisements of baby powdered milk companies as all food supplements are harmful to baby health.
He said the government has extended the maternity leave to six months considering the importance of breastfeeding.
Meanwhile, President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion of the World Breastfeeding Week 2012.
In his message, President Zillur Rahman said many children of the country are being deprived of getting breast milk due to ignorance about its benefits among people. “I think it is one of the reasons of many child diseases and child mortality caused by malnutrition.”
Zillur Rahman hoped that the World Breastfeeding Week 2012 will play an important role in creating awareness about breastfeeding.
In another message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the present government has been observing the World Breastfeeding Week in the country since 2010 in order to create awareness among people for development of maternal and child health and nutrition.
Hasina called upon all concerned to come forward to supplement the government’s efforts for improvement of the condition of breastfeeding and nutrition.
The main theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is “Understanding the Past-Planning the Future”.
The World Breastfeeding Week 2012 will formally be inaugurated in the country at a function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium at 11 am.
The function will be organised by the Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN).
The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the country reached 64 percent due to government’s continued efforts, said Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Hauqe while speaking at a press conference at his office on Tuesday.
He said the newborns should be given ‘colostrum’ (first breast milk) as it jump-starts a newborn’s immune system.
“All babies up to 6 months of age should exclusively be breastfed,” he said, adding that after 6 months, babies should be given homemade foods along with breast milks.
The Health Minister urged all mothers not to be motivated by attractive advertisements of baby powdered milk companies as all food supplements are harmful to baby health.
He said the government has extended the maternity leave to six months considering the importance of breastfeeding.
Meanwhile, President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion of the World Breastfeeding Week 2012.
In his message, President Zillur Rahman said many children of the country are being deprived of getting breast milk due to ignorance about its benefits among people. “I think it is one of the reasons of many child diseases and child mortality caused by malnutrition.”
Zillur Rahman hoped that the World Breastfeeding Week 2012 will play an important role in creating awareness about breastfeeding.
In another message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the present government has been observing the World Breastfeeding Week in the country since 2010 in order to create awareness among people for development of maternal and child health and nutrition.
Hasina called upon all concerned to come forward to supplement the government’s efforts for improvement of the condition of breastfeeding and nutrition.
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