The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reiterated the fundamental right of every child to be exclusively breastfed for the first six months and up to two years. This was emphasized by Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe, UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Enugu, during a two-day Zonal Media Dialogue focused on improving exclusive breastfeeding practices in Enugu, Benue, Cross River, and Anambra States.
Chiluwe highlighted the critical role of exclusive breastfeeding in child development and its alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She expressed concern over the low rates of exclusive breastfeeding and urged the media to help bridge this gap. “The target is that every child is exclusively breastfed. It is a key contribution to the growth of the nation,” she said.
Dr. Ben Obidike, Anambra State Commissioner for Health, emphasized the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and the need for policy initiatives to support it. He noted that Anambra State is considering making immediate breastfeeding within an hour of delivery a policy.
Dr. Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, UNICEF Communications Officer for Enugu, outlined the meeting’s objectives, which included encouraging journalists and media personnel to advocate for zero water for infants during the first six months and promoting breastfeeding for up to two years. She also highlighted that only nine percent of organizations have workplace breastfeeding policies, stressing the media’s pivotal role in changing this narrative.
UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Mrs. Ngozi Onuora, described breast milk as a critical component of long-term health and emphasized that only 36 percent of Nigerian mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding. She expressed hope that the media’s involvement would alert policymakers to the existing gaps and inequalities.
Prof. Stella Okunna, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Paul University Awka, underscored the media’s powerful role as a change agent. She called on media practitioners to use their influence to promote the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, employing strategies such as gatekeeping and status conferral to drive the message forward.
The dialogue aimed to mobilize media support to enhance breastfeeding practices and ensure that every Nigerian child benefits from exclusive breastfeeding, thereby improving overall child health and development.
