Wife of the governor of Enugu State, Nkechinyere Mbah, has made a case for exclusive breastfeeding of babies, saying it will help the children grow healthy. She made the case during a visit to the maternity ward of the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, Enugu, on Tuesday where she gifted childcare items and cash to the nursing mothers.
She also cleared the medical bills of those, who have been in the hospital due to outstanding medical bills. Mrs. Mbah, assured that the Governor Peter Mbah administration has plans to reform the health sector, adding that the governor had equally taken particular note of the need to improve quality of maternal, infant, and child healthcare in the state. Speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Ifeanyi Agujiobi, said the administration is already working to increase maternity leave in the state from four to six months. According to him, the emphasis on exclusive breastfeeding is to ensure that women that have just delivered implement the policy so that the immune systems of the babies will be free from neonatal diseases and infection.
The World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration, which is held every year from August 1 to 7 in more than 120 countries to raise awareness and galvanize action on themes related to breastfeeding.