Breastfeeding week begins
Thursday, 2 August 2007
The world breast-feeding week began Wednesday to create mass awareness to prevent mortality and morbidity of the children up to five years of age, reports BSS.
Bangladesh Breast-feeding Foundation (BBF) has taken an elaborate programme to observe the week, including media campaign, discussion and rally in and outside the capital to raise public awareness.
According to statistics, the exclusive breast-feeding can reduce under-five child mortality up to 13 per cent. An estimated 120,000 children die each year within 28 days of their birth in Bangladesh.
President Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on the eve of the week have called for intensifying the campaign for breast-feeding across the country.
They said an increased level of awareness should be generated to promote child health through mother's milk and control their mortality.
"There is no alternative to breastfeeding for survival, nutrition and growth of children as this is safe and universal," the President said in a statement. He said mother's milk should be the lone food for a child up to six months as it develops its immune system.
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin in a separate statement urged the government and the non-government organisations concerned to join hands in generating massive awareness of breastfeeding through intensified campaigns. He also expressed the hope that initiatives would be taken to observe the breastfeeding week with due importance.
Bangladesh Breast-feeding Foundation (BBF) has taken an elaborate programme to observe the week, including media campaign, discussion and rally in and outside the capital to raise public awareness.
According to statistics, the exclusive breast-feeding can reduce under-five child mortality up to 13 per cent. An estimated 120,000 children die each year within 28 days of their birth in Bangladesh.
President Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on the eve of the week have called for intensifying the campaign for breast-feeding across the country.
They said an increased level of awareness should be generated to promote child health through mother's milk and control their mortality.
"There is no alternative to breastfeeding for survival, nutrition and growth of children as this is safe and universal," the President said in a statement. He said mother's milk should be the lone food for a child up to six months as it develops its immune system.
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin in a separate statement urged the government and the non-government organisations concerned to join hands in generating massive awareness of breastfeeding through intensified campaigns. He also expressed the hope that initiatives would be taken to observe the breastfeeding week with due importance.