The Bolgatanga East District Health Directorate has held a float on some principal streets of Zuarungu and other communities as part of activities to climax the “Start Right, Feed Right” campaign to promote exclusive breastfeeding from birth to six years. The event formed part of efforts to Intensify the campaign on exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months after childbirth.
Health personnel from the directorate on Friday 20th January,2023, took the “Start Right, Feed Right” campaign to the Zuarungu market where a mini durbar was held. The market women were given education on the benefits of giving newborn babies exclusive breast milk for the first six months after childbirth and till the first 1000 days after birth
Christiana Azupio, a nutrition officer with the Boliga East Health directorate, said the directorate had embarked on series of activities “ including the pregnancy school for pregnant women in the Katanga CHPS and the Yarigabisi CHPS center, designating a baby friendly corner for breastfeeding health workers where a place is designated for health personnel at work can keep their babies and only return to breastfeed them when necessary”
Madam Christiana added that as part of the activities to climax the “statrt right feed right ” campaign, the directorate also carried out the market storm in the Zuarungu and the Dachio market to educate the market women on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding in general from child birth to two years.
She said “Children who are breastfed exclusively in the first six months of their lives and are provided with foods with the right balance of nutrients from six months to two years are more likely to survive, to do better at school and to be more productive throughout their lives.”
Maybel Atuna, a market woman in the Zuarungu Market, spoke to Emmanuel Kolog, a reporter of Word Fm 88.3. She expressed her appreciation for the educative campaign and thanked the Boliga East Health Services for always being there for them in the District. She added that “I hard them say It is good to only feed the baby with breast milk and stop the usage of unapproved products” it is really good to breastfeed the baby for exclusive 6 months, it makes the baby strong and healthy” she took the opportunity to advised her fellow women to continue the campaign in their homes.
The First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, three (3) years ago launched campaign on “Start Right, Feed Right – from birth to two (2) years” which was rolled out as part of World Breastfeeding Week 2020. The program was targeted at promoting exclusive breastfeeding from birth to six months.
By: Simon Agana Blessing/mywordfmonline.com