The service has officially launched the 2024 National Breastfeeding Week with a press briefing in Accra. The event, themed “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” calls for collective support from all stakeholders to ensure a healthier future for children in Ghana.
The theme aims to educate stakeholders about their vital roles in supporting breastfeeding, emphasize its universal importance, and engage individuals and organizations in advocating for support for mothers and babies.
In his address to the media, Dr. Anthony Adofo Ofosu, Deputy Director-General of GHS, urged mothers to embrace early breastfeeding, describing breast milk as a “superfood” essential for the first six months of a child’s life. He highlighted its benefits, including infant brain development, protection against infections, and reducing the risk of cancer in women.
According to the recent Ghana Demography and Health Survey, there has been notable progress in breastfeeding practices. Early breastfeeding initiation has increased from 52% to 58%, and exclusive breastfeeding rates have risen from 52% to 53.1%. However, Dr. Ofosu stressed the need to surpass 70% in both indicators.
He acknowledged the tireless efforts of development partners and key stakeholders in bringing the importance of breastfeeding to the forefront each year, emphasizing the potential losses as more children are not being breastfed.
Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu, Director for the Family Health Division, discussed plans to deepen breastfeeding awareness this year. These plans include extensive stakeholder engagement to advocate for the creation of breastfeeding spaces, supporting the ‘Start Right, Feed Right, from birth to two years’ campaign. She encouraged organizations to create safe spaces for breastfeeding mothers, clientele, and employees within their premises, stressing that collective efforts will normalize breastfeeding in a fast-changing world where many women are shying away from this essential responsibility.
Responding to media questions, Dr. Okoh-Owusu assured the public that well-trained staff at various facilities across the country are working with WHO-approved guidelines to provide the best care and support to nursing mothers. She also called for continuous support in building capacity.
Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu expressed gratitude to the media for their crucial role in the campaign, underscoring that their support is vital for its success.
By the Public Relations Unit
