Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Thursday in Ilorin, advised female civil servants to utilise the approved six-month maternity leave to breastfeed their babies.

Mr AbdulRazaq gave the advice during the launching of the state Policy on Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition and state Guidelines on Baby-Friendly Initiatives.

The state government in 2023 announced a six-month paid maternity leave for female civil servants.

The state government, in collaboration with the World Bank on the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria project, provided a Basic Package of Nutrition Services to children under five years.

The governor, represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, said it also included pregnant and lactating women across primary health centres and communities in the 16 local government areas in the state.

According to her, optimal nutrition is important for the normal growth and development of all humans.

“However, children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers require additional attention for their health and wellbeing. A child’s first 1,000 days of life, from conception till their second birthday, is the most critical period of brain development when efforts and interventions must be deployed to prevent wasting or stunting. Stunted children do not perform well in school, resulting in drop-outs and poor bargaining power later in life,” he said.

Mr AbdulRazaq declared nutrition as a health issue as well as a major human capital development and economic concern.

He said that the government would continue investing in nutrition and giving children a head-start in life, owing to its consequences for development and social stability.

“The state government had recently inaugurated the State Committee on Food and Nutrition in line with the recommendations of the National Council on Nutrition, with adequate funding to coordinate a multi-sectoral approach to addressing malnutrition,” he said.

Also speaking, Wife of the governor, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, described breastfeeding as the most effective way of ensuring child’s health and survival.

This, she said, would provide essential nutrients, enhance brain-development and strengthen the immune system.

“Promoting exclusive breastfeeding encourages mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life. Exclusive breastfeeding can prevent malnutrition, reduce child mortality and promote cognitive development,” she said.

Mrs AbdulRazaq said that the government would continue to support health facilities, training of healthcare workers and educating mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding and proper infant feeding practices.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Hajia Afusat Ibrahim, said that the MIYCN policy was a comprehensive approach to improving the nutritional status of women and children in Kwara.

According to El-Imam, this will address the nutritional needs of mothers during pregnancy as well as lactation and the needs of infants and young children up to the age of five.

(NAN)