Dar es Salaam, 1 August, 2014 –World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated
every year from August 1-7 to highlight the vital role breastfeeding
plays. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is one
of the simplest, smartest and most cost-effective ways to support
children to grow healthy and strong.
This year’s theme is,
‘Breastfeeding: a winning goal for life!’ which underscores the critical
link between breastfeeding and the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).
This linkage is particularly clear
in relation to MDG 4 (reducing child mortality), where globally the
number of children under-five dying from preventable causes declined by a
remarkable 47 per cent since 1990. In Tanzania, under-five mortality
decreased from 81 per 1,000 live births in 2010 to 54 per 1,000 live
births in 2012. The decline in child mortality can be attributed to
(among other factors) improved breastfeeding practices in the country.
The proportion of children under six months who benefit from exclusive
breastfeeding increased from 41 per cent in 2005 to 50 per cent in 2010.
However, the reality is that one out of twenty Tanzanian children still
dies before their fifth birthday from preventable causes.
UNICEF Tanzania Deputy
Representative, Paul Edwards said that this week presents an opportune
moment to reflect on strategies to save child lives and ensure children
are provided with the best start in life. “UNICEF is focusing on
breastfeeding as the most effective and inexpensive way of saving a
child’s life. But with only a half of all children under six months
benefitting from exclusive breastfeeding in Tanzania, strong leadership
in promoting and supporting breastfeeding is essential.”
Scientific evidence shows that
children who are exclusively breastfed are 14 times more likely to
survive the first six months of life than non-breastfed children.
Starting breastfeeding on the first day after birth can reduce the risk
of new-born death by up to 45 per cent.
Neema Makuga (20) delivered her
first child, Grace (six months) in a health facility in Iringa and was
advised by the health worker to breastfeed her baby immediately after
birth. “I have been exclusively breastfeeding my child from day one for
six months now and I see the advantages of it, my child is growing well
and healthy and she rarely falls sick,” she said.
Breastfeeding also supports a
child’s ability to learn and helps prevent obesity and chronic diseases
later in life. Breastfed children fall ill less often than non-breastfed
children resulting in large health care savings. Apart from the
benefits to the baby, mothers who breastfeed exclusively are less likely
to become pregnant in the first six months following delivery, recover
faster from giving birth, and return to their pre-pregnancy weight
sooner.
Despite these well documented
benefits of breastfeeding, only 50 per cent of children aged less than
six months in Tanzania are exclusively breastfed and 49 per cent of
children are breastfed within the first hour of birth. This is partly
due to general lack of a supportive environment for breastfeeding
mothers.
The President of Tanzania made a
strong commitment to improve maternal health and child nutrition, and
reduce child deaths from preventable causes, particularly stunting – a
promise which was renewed in May 2014 with the launch of the sharpened
One Plan and scorecards to monitor progress. A High Level Steering
Committee for Nutrition was created within the Prime Minister’s Office
to coordinate multi-sectorial interventions to reduce child malnutrition
and promote optimal breastfeeding. The joint efforts of the Government
and its partners, including UNICEF, have already produced important
results in nutrition, but there is still more to be done, as the
stunting (when a child is too short for their age) prevalence in the
country is still high, affecting 42 per cent of children under-five.
Stunting undermines both the physical and cognitive development of
children and prevents them from growing as healthy, productive adults.
Paul Edwards concluded that
UNICEF is committed to working with the Government to have supportive
programmes that reach all communities and mothers so that the country is
able to increase breastfeeding rates significantly. There is no other
single health intervention that has such a high impact for babies and
mothers as breastfeeding and which costs so little for governments.
Breastfeeding is a baby’s ‘first immunization’ and the most effective
and inexpensive life-saver ever in history.”
In Tanzania, World Breastfeeding
Week 2014 will be celebrated in Iringa Region with various activities in
health facilities and communities. The Government of Tanzania in
collaboration with UNICEF and other partners is committed to intensify
its efforts to promote optimal breastfeeding across the Mainland and
Zanzibar. On August 7, a special event to raise awareness on the
importance of breastfeeding will be held in Mufindi District Council and
officiated by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Dr. Seif
Seleman Rashidi.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in 190 countries and territories to help
children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.
The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries,
UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation,
quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of
children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded
entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses,
foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF Tanzania
and its work visit: www.unicef.org/Tanzania
For further information, please contact:
Sandra Bisin, UNICEF Tanzania: +255 787600079 sbisin@unicef.org
Jacqueline Namfua, UNICEF Tanzania: +255 787600115 jnamfua@unicef.org
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