The Katsina State Government said it’s committed to reducing the burden of malnutrition in all parts of the state and Nigeria at large.

According to the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bishir Gambo Saulawa, prevention of malnutrition remains one of the top priorities of the Malam Dikko Radda-led administration.

The commissioner was speaking on Thursday during a press briefing at the state Ministry of Health as part of activities to mark this year’s World Breast Feeding Week Celebration with the theme: “ENABLING BREASTFEEDING: MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR WORKING PARENTS”.

He explained that breast milk provides not only ideal nutrition for babies but also contains important antibodies that give protection against diseases and reduce the risk of diseases among other benefits.

He stressed that breast milk apart from being cheap and readily available, also increases bonding between mothers and babies.

“This year’s Theme is enabling breastfeeding: ‘Making a Difference for Working Parents. This is to emphasize the importance of breastfeeding to working-class parents and work should not be a barrier to parents from practicing
exclusive breastfeeding.

“This week was set aside by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF) with the goal to promote exclusive breastfeeding for babies within the first six months of life which yields many health benefits, providing critical nutrients, protection from deadly diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, measles among others.

“The Katsina State government is promoting breastfeeding among parents of all social classes through the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project (ANRiN).

“Parents are being counseled on early initiation of breast milk within first 30 mins of delivery, exclusive breastfeeding by all parents for the first six months of life, and complementary feeding when the child reaches six months of life.

“These interventions are being delivered at the doorsteps in all 361 political wards of the State.

“Also, Radio jingles are being aired in two radio stations in the State (State Radio and Companion FM) and TV jingles by KTTV,” Saulawa explained.

The State Ministry of Health through the ANRiN project also conducted a road show from State Secretariat Complex down to the Federal Secretariat Complex in order to create more awareness of the importance of six months of exclusive breastfeeding vis-a-vis this year’s World Breast Feeding Week celebration.