By Jackson Gaaniko
As Western Equatoria state celebrated World Breastfeeding Week, a nutritionist urged mothers to provide six months of exclusive breastfeeding to babies.
The world commemorates World Breastfeeding Day annually from 1st to 7 of August but in Western Equatoria state, the event was marked last week.
Mr. Natemo William Louis is the Nutrition Project Manager working with the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) in Western Equatoria state.
In the belated event, Natemo said exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months without complementary feeding builds the immunity of a baby and protects against common childhood illnesses.
He says that after six months, a mother can then continue breastfeeding along with complementary feeding until a baby turns two years old.
According to the nutrition officer, exclusive breastfeeding provides a defensive weapon for mothers to protect their children from malnutrition.
He noted that Western Equatoria State has contributed to the statistics of Mothers who are facing problems with breastfeeding babies.
“What we want to encourage is inclusive breastfeeding within the first six months and then introduce the baby to other food afterward,” Natemo said.
Meanwhile, the State Minister of Health, James Abdullah Aron says the government ensures the protection of mothers as well as children and avails them access to health services.
The minister calls on parents to take care of babies, urging them to prevent unwanted pregnancies when another child is still breastfeeding.
He also appeals to partners to extend awareness to communities at the grassroots.
“To care about the child is not easy, we need to educate that child to grow strong, and we need to educate that child to love the parents and to love his own people,” the minister said.
Aron also urges citizens to love and support each other and to give space to everybody to do what he or she needs.