According to recent statistics from the Multi Indicator Cluster Study (MICs) survey from 2022, only 21% of children in Katsina State who are nursing age receive breast milk exclusively during the first six months of their lives.
According to reports, this is considerably below the 50% objective set by the state’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the year 2030.
In other words, eight out of every ten children are at danger for malnutrition throughout their lifetime since they were not allowed to exclusively breastfeed during the first six months of their lives.
At a media dialogue session held as part of preparations for the World Breastfeeding Week in Katsina in 2022, Elhadji Diop, the nutrition manager for UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, provided journalists with the figures.
“Stronger with Breast Milk Only” is the slogan for the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week Campaign.
Mr. Diop claims that “current data reveals that just two out of every ten children in the state experience exclusive breastfeeding, implying that there is still more work to be done for the state to fulfill the 50% target.”
By the year 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are to be achieved.
In addition, Diop deemed it unacceptable that Nigeria ranked first and second, respectively, in Africa and the globe, for the prevalence of malnutrition, and he urged swift action from all parties involved to protect Nigerian children.
He contends that spending money on exclusive breastfeeding has the potential to improve both the mother and child’s health, drastically lowering the death rate for young infants.
The Katsina State Primary Healthcare Agency arranged the one-day media forum in collaboration with UNICEF.
