RAJSHAHI, Aug 7, 2018 (BSS)-Health experts at a meeting with journalists
here today observed that the role of media both print and electronics is very
important for making the country’s breastfeeding campaign a total success.
They mentioned that sufficient breastfeeding is of paramount importance
for physical and mental development of babies as the breastfeeding is the
best way to provide infants with the nutrients they need.
So, all quarters including the media people should come forward and work
together so that every lactating mother is encouraged and motivated to
breastfeed their babies instead of depending on any other supplementary feed
till their age of six months.
Directorate of Health Services organized the meeting in the conference
hall of Divisional Director of Health in Rajshahi city in observance of
Breastfeeding Week-2018.
Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) and World Food Programme
supported the meeting.
Additional commissioner of Rajshahi Division Aminul Islam addressed the
meeting as chief guest with divisional director of Health Dr Anisur Rahman in
the chair.
During his concept paper presentation, Md Sakib, divisional officer of
BBF, said: “Although Bangladesh has surpassed the global target of Exclusive
Breastfeeding (EBF), it is still far behind in terms of ensuring Infant and
Young Child Feeding (IYCF).”
IYCF is the introduction of nutritionally-adequate and safe
complementary (solid) foods at six months together with continued
breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond.
Compared to the urban children, the rural children have been found to be
more prone to underdevelopment while the rate of children with stunted growth
is the lowest in Rajshahi division.
He said there are complaints that some companies are marketing baby food
without IPHN registration, providing gifts to doctors or buyers to promote
their products.
“Public awareness is crucial because we have seen children of the well-
off families also suffer from malnutrition,” he told the meeting.
Dr Anisur Rahman said promotion of EBF for the first six months of life
has been estimated to be the most effective preventive strategy for saving
the lives of young children in low-income families.
He suggested full-length implementation of BMS Act, 2013 through
conducting frequent mobile court against the law violators.
More than 40 journalists from both the print and electronic media houses
joined the meeting putting forward a set of recommendations on how to reduce
mortality rate of children to a great extent through proper breastfeeding
within an hour of their birth.