Embrace breast feeding
Lazarus Sauti
The African
continent is losing a significant number of children due to preventable
diseases.
This loss is
caused by mothers who are neglecting breast feeding. Thus, breastfeeding still
requires a lot of support if the continent is to achieve the millennium
development goal (MDG) of reducing child mortality to 34 per 1000 live births
by 2015.
Accordingly,
Africa could significantly reduce the number of infants who are dying from
common childhood diseases if mothers adhere to exclusive breastfeeding for the
first six months.
“The
advantages of breastfeeding exclusively are well documented as breast milk
contains anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents as well as high levels of Vitamin
A that protects infants against diseases,” Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and
Child Care National PMTCT and HIV Care and Treatment Co-ordinator, Dr Angela
Mushavi said.
It is critical
to note that approximately 1.3 million deaths could be prevented each year
globally if infants under six are breastfed exclusively.
More so, babies
under two months who are not exclusively breastfed are six times more likely to
die from diarrhoea or respiratory infections than those who are breastfed.
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