Breastfeeding can help avert a large number of neonatal deaths and bring down the under-5 child mortality rate in Bangladesh, reports BSS.
Experts made the observation at a discussion held Friday at Matuail near the city marking the inauguration of the World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7.Explaining the beneficial aspects of breastfeeding, especially for the newborns, they laid emphasis on creating awareness about it among mothers and called for formation of 'a Mother Support Group' in each locality across the country. "A child, who is not breastfed, is exposed to various diseases, when brought to hospital for treatment. Breastfeeding protects health of both the child and the mother," Dr MQK Talukder, chairman of the Women and Child Health Centre and adviser of Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF), said at the discussion. To promote breastfeeding both in rural and urban areas in the greater interest of building a happy and healthy nation, he stressed the need for formulation of a food policy with special focus on children and adolescents.
Country Director of Save the Children Margarita Clark taking part in the discussion said Bangladesh has made a commendable progress in reducing the mortality of under-5 children over the last one decade from 116 per thousand live births in 1996-97 to 65 in 2007.
But under the Millennium Development Goal (MDG)-4, she said, a target has been set to bring down the under-5 child mortality rate to 50 per thousand live births by 2015. On the other hand, she added, the neonatal mortality rate is unacceptably high at 37 per thousand live births.
"It has to be halved, if the MDG-4 target is to be reached," Margarita said.
UNICEF Bangladesh representative Carel de Rooy said early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth followed by exclusive breastfeeding for six months is critical for a child's survival and growth.
"The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Bangladesh is still as low as 43 per cent while the early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth is only 24 per cent," he pointed out. If all newborns in Bangladesh could be breastfed, Carel said, then it is estimated that about 28,100 neonatal deaths could be averted annually.
UNFPA representative Pornchai Suchitta said breastfeeding can help save the healthcare costs to a large extent. Reduction in infant mortality can lead to acceptance of the small family norm, he observed.
Chaired by BBF chairperson Dr SK Roy, the function was also addressed, among others, by BBF secretary Sufia Khatun, ICDDR,B scientist Dr Iqbal Kabir, Director of the Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN) Dr Fatema Parveen Chowdhury and Executive Director of National Nutrition Project (NNP) Biman Kumar Saha.
