Breastfeeding saves lives and boosts immunity. It is important to children’s long-term development. Research shows the breast milk of women who have recovered from coronavirus offers a source of Covid-19 antibodies.
However, increase in the number of working mothers have led to decline in breastfeeding. The National Nutrition Survey of 2017 states that the percentage of breastfeeding mothers was 23 per cent against the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global target of 50 per cent.
Speaking to the Observer on the sidelines of the National Campaign for Exclusive Breastfeeding, Dr Salima al Maamary, Director of the Nutrition Department, said a collaborative effort is needed to encourage breastfeeding among the mothers in Oman.
The event was organised under the auspices of Dr Fatima bint Mohammed al Ajmiyah, Under-Secretary for Administrative, Financial and Planning Affairs, Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with the WHO and Al Jisr Foundation.
“Babies should be compulsorily breastfed for the first six months and no other food or water shall be given to the baby in order to enhance its immunity and to build the intangible bond with the mother. The baby can be breastfed for the first two years but the mother is at liberty to give supplementary food during the rest of the years,” Dr Al Maamary said.
She further said, “The event is part of the National Campaign of Nutrition to be launched during this year based on the results and indicators of the National Survey of Nutrition that carried by the ministry in 2017.”
The campaign seeks to raise awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life up to at least 50 per cent by 2025 in the Sultanate in line with the WHO’s recommendations set forth to achieve global nutrition targets, in addition to reducing morbidity and mortality rates for children under five-year of age.
The United Nations, through its Nutrition Action Plan of 2016 – 2025, has expressed its concern that nearly two children out of three under six months of age are not exclusively breastfed.
“Only less than one child out of five is exclusively breastfed for 12 months in high-income countries. Furthermore, two children out of three aged between six months and two years are exclusively breastfed in the low and middle-income countries,” Dr Jean Yaacoub Jabbour, WHO representative to Oman said.
Dina al Khalili, Head of Al Jisr Foundation, shed light on the cooperation between Al Jisr Foundation and the MoH in raising awareness on breastfeeding through awareness messages, booklets and videos. Also, the Foundation supports the campaign by organising training workshops on mother and child healthcare along with training the medical cadres to offer advice in breastfeeding.
Al Jisr Foundation has provided breast pumps to several mothers infected with Covid-19 in various governorates to enable them to feed their children directly.
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