‘Alternatives to breastfeeding of babies should be discouraged’

RAJSHAHI, Apr 6 (BSS): Speakers at a discussion here said all sorts of alternative feeds to breastfeed the babies should be discouraged collectively in the greater interest of building a healthy and talented nation.
They viewed there is no alternative to imposing ban on random manufacturing and marketing of the alternative baby feed coupled with full-length enforcement of the related existing laws and regulations to this end.
The observations came at an advocacy meeting titled "Infant and Young Child Feeding and Maternal Nutrition" held at Shaheed Jamil Akhter Ratan auditorium in Rajshahi city yesterday afternoon. Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BFF) organised the programme in association with various government and non-government organisations concerned.
Life Member of Rajshahi Press Club (RPC) Tazul Islam and its General Secretary Saidur Rahman addressed the inaugural session as chief and special guests respectively with Anwarul Alam Fatik, President of RPC, in the chair.
During their concept paper presentation, BBF Programme Officers Anamul Hassan and Md Sakib narrated various aspects of breastfeeding coupled with role of media towards making its campaign successful.
The discussants said exclusive breastfeeding for founding a knowledgeable and sound nation and the media both print and electronic could be the effective means of popularizing the campaign.
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, and can contribute towards the Millennium Development Goal 4 of reducing child mortality.
Malnutrition is responsible, directly or indirectly for about one third of deaths among children aged under five. Above two thirds of these deaths occur because of inappropriate feeding practices during the first year of life. Breastfeeding is the best way to provide infants with the nutrients they need.