By Aliyu Dangida
Determined to promote exclusive breastfeeding, the Jigawa State Primary Health Development Agency (JSPHDA) has solicited the support and cooperation of parents, partners, religious and traditional leaders to improve the exercise in the state.
The permanent secretary, Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Kabir Ibrahim, while briefing newsmen in his office, said the efforts as part of continuation of world breastfeeding week celebration in the state with a theme ‘Let exclusive breastfeeding work while at work’.
Dr. Kabir explained that, as part of effort to promote exclusive breastfeeding, the agency formed a team with aims to work on challenges bedeviling the practices of exclusive breastfeeding in the state, he urged parents particularly mothers to support the moves saying the idea of extending maternity leave from three to six months, is to give mothers more chances and time to breastfeed their babies.
According to him, the importance of exclusive breastfeeding can not overemphasize, as it help both the babies, mothers, fathers and even community at large.
He further identified some of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, building of strong immunes to the babies and strong protection against child killer diseases.while for mother’s it help them against breast cancer, save their times among many other benefits, to fathers, exclusive breastfeeding help them to improve their economy by making the baby more brilliant to contribute to the development of the family and community.
Hotpen reports that, during the flag-off of the ceremony, the wife of Jigawa governor, Hajiya Hadiza Umar Namadi appealed for the extension of maternity leave from three to six months in the state.
