Agency Holds Baby Show To Encourage Breastfeeding
The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency, on Saturday organised a Baby Show as part of efforts to sensitise and promote exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, represented by Dr Neyu Iliyasu, Director Primary Health, explained that the baby show was part of activities to mark the 2018 World Breast Feeding Week. Balarabe said that the celebration tagged, “Breastfeeding: Foundation for life”, was being celebrated in the state to promote exclusive breastfeeding and adequate infant and young child feeding.
According to her, the competition is organised to honour nursing mothers that exclusively breastfeed their babies.
“It also accords us an opportunity to further sensitise mothers on the gains of breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding as well as the negative effect of not breastfeeding children on the child, the family and the nation at large.”
Announcing the winners of the competition, the State Nutrition Officer, Hajiya Hauwa Usman said that 20 babies were selected from 13 wards in the local government area.
Usman said that three out of the 20 babies emerged as winners of the event with five months old Khadijat Isiaka, weighing 7.5kg at the top; followed by Yusuf Nasir, two months, 5.8kg and Muhammadu Awal, six months, 7.2kg. She explained that the criteria for selection include if the baby was exclusively breastfed, weight, must be between two and six months, skin glow, hair texture, nails, and cleanliness among others.
Balarabe encouraged all nursing mothers to embrace the practice of exclusive breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding, describing it as the foundation of a healthy growth and development of children.
Presenting the prizes to the winners, Hajiya Ummi El-Rufai, wife of the Kaduna State Governor, described breast milk as vital to the growth and development of child to adulthood. Ummu, who is the Chairperson, Kaduna State Emergency nutrition Action Plan, appealed to husbands to support their wives by ensuring that they provide the family the needed nutritious food for healthy growth and development.
She thanked UNICEF, Alive and Thrive, Save the Children International and other development partners working in the state to address the problem of malnutrition and other health, social and economic issues affecting women and children.
