WIFE OF OSUN GOVERNOR , CHIEF(MRS.) TITILOLA ADELEKE ADMONISHES NURSING MOTHERS ON BREASTFEEDING

By Segilola Babalola 

   

Osun State Governor's wife, Chief( Mrs) Titilola Adeleke has encouraged all the breastfeeding mothers in the State to engage in exclusive first six month- breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond for their new born child. Her Excellency stated her major reason, among others, to be that the breast milk provides all the required food nutrients and water that a new baby needs for the first six months of life which, she said, also protects the baby from any form of illness such as diarrhea, respiratory infections and malnutrition.

Chief( Mrs) Titilola Adeleke gave this word of encouragement in Osogbo at the venue of flag- off ceremony of year 2023 World Breastfeeding Week, with the theme, " Enabling Breastfeeding Making a Difference For Working Mothers."  The program was put together by the office of the Wife of the Governor, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, UNICEF and World Health Organisation in conjunction with Osun Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women, and Children and Social Affairs.

According to Chief(Mrs) Titilola Adeleke,the global campaign aim of the program is to raise awareness about breastfeeding and its attendant advantages of the six months exclusive breastfeeding, which is recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for the baby child untill the child turns two and beyond, lamenting that most working mothers, especially  in informal employment, are often compelled to stop breastfeeding exclusively due to resumption at work and unfriendly breastfeeding environment at various workplaces.

The Governor's wife also stated that Health is one of the major cardinal programs of the current administration and that the Governor is prepared to put in place an enduring health care system that will strengthen action to enable the promotion and support of breastfeeding for working parents as an investment in the health care delivery in the State.

 Another critical area, according to Her Excellency, that the government is looking at is to encourage baby friendly initiative programs and friendly workplace initiative with the intention to providing appropriate facilities and family friendly policies to accommodate the need of breastfeeding employees and families in tandem with the theme of the year, which is a clarion call to make adequate policies and rules that would guarantee maternity leave and  continued breastfeeding on return to work such as establishing a workplace lactation/ breastfeeding space,room or creches in workplace as appropriate.

 Chief, Mrs Titilola Adeleke, thereafter appreciated all the partners for their supportive roles,and also used the medium to advise the pregnant women to attend their clinics regularly and to always make sure they deliver their babies in  Hospitals where there are professional health workers, who are capable of taking care of them, during and after the pregnancy.

 In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Health, Barr Jola Akintola stated that the importance of breastfeeding cannot be overemphasized and that the recommended protocol is that baby should be breastfed for 2years, while the first six months is exclusive without water or anything, after the six months mothers are to supplement the breastfeeding with locally source food.

Barr.Akintola hinted that breast milk contains balanced diet for  babies, including vitamins necessary for growth and development and antibodies to fight against diseases, apart from  increasing the bond between mother and baby.

Barr. Akintola then advised the nursing mothers to be advocates of encouraging other nursing mothers to key into the breastfeeding protocol.

In his goodwill messages, the representative of UNICEF, Mr Israel Olasunkanmi asserted that there is nothing that the baby needs that is not in the breast, hence the need to breastfeed the baby very well.

 Also  the representative of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria,Osun State Chapter, Dr Olufunmilola Otitoola stated that nursing mothers should breastfeed their children for good 6months without any other food, clarifying it does not cause diarrhoea.

In a similar development, the representative of WHO, Dr Bello Ahmed also corroborated her that breastfeeding protects babies from common infections, diseases and boosts child immune system.

Highlights of the event was the presentation of baby gifts to nursing mothers and pregnant women.

Present at the event were, Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Sola Adewusi; Wife of the Rt. Honourable Speaker, Mrs Egbedun; Special Adviser to Mr. Governor in the Primary Health Care Development Board,Dr Oderinde Michael, permanent secretary ministry of health Dr Isiaka Adekunle; permanent secretary HMB Dr Abayomi Oni ,CMD Uniosun Teaching Hospital,Prof Peter  Olaitan; Executive Secretary of Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Oluwole Fabiyi; as well as all  Directors, both in the Ministry of Health and Primary Health Care Development Board, among others.