By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
Wife of the Gombe State Governor, Hajiya Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya, has charged mothers in the State to ensure all gaps are closed in an effort to provide the needed feeding patterns for infants bellow six months.
She expressed her concern through the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Asma’u Mohammed Iganus, during activities to mark the 2024 breastfeeding week in Gombe State.
She pointed out that despite the importance of breastfeeding, not all mothers and infants have equal access to the support they need to successfully breastfeed.
The theme for this year is “Closing the Gap: Supporting Breastfeeding for Healthier Future”, and the Gombe First Lady says, these existing gaps “hinder our progress and leaves many families behind”.
She highlighted some of the gaps that needed to be closed to include, creating access to information and education, supportive healthcare systems, providing workplace accommodations, initiating
community support networks, and addressing Socio-economic disparities.
She encouraged stakeholders to continue to advocate to Government at all levels, public health experts, CEOs, Managers, Captains of industries, workplaces and community gatekeepers to scale-up breastfeeding promotion and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments for lactating mothers and their babies.
According to her, “this will contribute to significant improvement in the early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding rates in the Country”.
She said, “closing the gap in breastfeeding support requires a concerted effort from all sectors of society.
“It calls for collaboration between Governments, healthcare providers, employers, communities, and families.
“By working together, we can create an environment where every mother feels empowered and every child has the chance to thrive”, she stated.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Department Agency, Dr. Abdulrahman Shu’aibu, expressed happiness over the State’s participation in this year’s WBW celebration.
He noted the progress made in the State in the area of women embracing exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of their children and subsequent complimentary feeding up to two years of the children.
The State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, highlighted importance of exclusive breastfeeding to the growth and development of the child in many aspects stressing that there is no better way of feeding a child in infancy than following this recommended standard.
Highlight of the programme featured many of the women who gave testimonies and showcased their babies for others to see the benefits derived from exclusive breastfeeding practices.
