By Umar Dankano,Yola.
Adamawa state government, the United Nations Children’s Fund(Unicef) and Helen Keller International have urged families, employers, health workers and communities to encourage exclusive breastfeeding among nursing and lactating mothers across the country.
Chief of Unicef, Bauchi field office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique made the appeal during the launching ceremony of 2026 World Breastfeeding Week in Yola yesterday emphasizing that, breast milk is the ‘first vaccine’ for a baby which protects the baby against disease and promotes healthy brain development and gives every child solid life foundation.
Rafique said that as the Adamawa state mark’s the World Breastfeeding Week 2026,we are reminded thatbreastfeeding remains a critical investment we can make in the health, survival, and development of every child.
Rafique explained that, this year’s theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” calls on us to build on the progress we have made while strengthening the systems that enable mothers to breastfeed successfully.
“This World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF ’s message is clear: breastfeeding gives every child the best possible start in life, but mothers cannot do it alone. We call on stakeholders to: engage fathers, grandmothers, religious leaders, and traditional leaders as advocates for breastfeeding.
“Strengthen community breastfeeding support structures,support mothers to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery, Provide accurate breastfee ding counselling during antenatal and postnatal care,help mothers overcome common breastfeeding challenges.
“We encourage mothers to Initiate breast feeding within one hour of delivery,exclus ively breastfeed their babies for the first six months and continue breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary foods up to two years and beyond.
“Strengthening support for breastfeeding is urgent and requires collective action from families, communities, healthcare providers, employers, government institutions, and development partners”. Unicef boss reiterated.
Speaking at the event, the First Lady of Adamawa State, Hajiya Lami Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri said the flagged-off ceremony was a reminder to give every child a right to breastfeeding for at least six months for good health.
Lami stressed the commitment of her husband’s administration commitment through maternal and new born to protect the children across the State calling on families to ensure adequate and exclusive breastfeeding to their children.
In their separate remarks,Commissioner for Health and Human Services,Chubad o Muhammed Jada and the Nutrition programme officer for transforming life projects, Helen Keller International, Musa Ali encouraged mothers to always breastfeed new born babies for a healthy life.
Our Correspondent reported that nursing mothers at the event also shared their experiences on the health benefits attached to exclusive breast-feeding to the children.
