Extend maternity leave to six months – Nutritionist
Mr Seth Brako, Assin North Municipal Nutrition Technical Officer, has called on the Government to extend maternity leave to six months to allow working mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies.
He said exclusive breastfeeding for a minimum of six months and continuing to two years, could prevent stunted growth and obesity with its attendant complications.
It also had the potential of prolonging the lives of babies and drastically reducing under-five mortality, maternal mortality, breast cancer, infections, over and under weight babies.
Mr Brako, said this at a public sensitisation programme on Child Health Promotion held at Assin Kushea in the Central Region, as part of the public engagements on child health and vaccination.
The month- long programme involves public education, mounting of health related banners, flyers and proving routine services on vitamin A and vaccination sessions in schools.
Speaking on the theme: “Healthy child; start right, do it right for total growth and development,” he indicated that Ghana could not afford to lose its people through preventable illnesses like diarrhoea, malnutrition, dental problems, obesity and all manner of infections.
The Nutritionist emphasised in addition to containing all the vitamins and nutrients’ babies need in the first six months of life, breast milk was packed with disease- fighting substances that protected babies from illnesses.
“The health benefits of dedicated… breastfeeding of babies extend well beyond nutrition to healthy wellbeing of mothers.
“It helps to space children, reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer.”
Mr Edward Amoasie, Senior Staff Nurse, blamed the reduction in breastfeeding in some parts of the Municipality on lack of sustained public education on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.
He advised mothers to disregard all misconceptions on exclusive breastfeeding and urged them to always consult health professionals for better explanations.
Source: GNA