Kenya will be joining the rest of the world in celebration to mark the World Breastfeeding week and is dedicated to provide breastfeeding support for all in the country.
According to MOH, this year’s theme will be “closing the gap breastfeeding support for all”. The Global celebration will be from 1st August to 7th August 2024. MOH has pledged to make sure that breastfeeding is promoted nationwide and that no woman is left behind. This includes moms who are nursing while in jail facilities, mothers who are teenagers, mothers who are in emergency situations, and nursing moms with impairments, who frequently encounter particular difficulties.
“Closing the Gap Breastfeeding Support for All, highlights the importance of inclusivity and the need to reach all breastfeeding mothers in Kenya,” stated the press release by MOH.
By creating a supportive policy and regulatory framework, the government has demonstrated its commitment to enhancing the nutrition of infants and young children, thereby upholding Article 53 (1) (c) of the Kenyan Constitution, which states that every child has the right to a minimum level of nourishment. Additionally, 90 days of paid maternity leave are guaranteed by Section 29 of the Employment Act of 2007, and workplace support for nursing mothers is mandated under Articles 71 and 72 of the Health Act of 2017.
The percentage of nursing women in Kenya has risen from 32 percent in 2008 to 61 percent in 2014; however, the percentage has since slightly declined to 60 percent in 2022, falling short of the 70 percent global target.
“This had made slightly over half (52 percent) of working women return to work within three months after childbirth, creating a supportive environment for breastfeeding in workplaces is essential,”
MOH has implemented programs and policies to encourage and support breastfeeding. The Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) standards, workplace support laws, restrictions on the marketing of breast milk substitutes (BMS), and monitoring programs are a few of these measures.
The aim of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and Baby-Friendly Community Initiative is to provide communities and healthcare professionals with the knowledge and abilities needed to support and maintain appropriate breastfeeding habits.
“Breastfeeding is crucial for child survival, health, growth, and development, providing unparalleled benefits to both infants and mothers. WHO and UNICEF recommend initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months, with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond, breastmilk contains all the essential nutrients for a child’s first six months of life,” stated the press release.
Research indicates that breastfeeding has many advantages, one of which is that it prevents 823,000 child deaths per year. Children under the age of five are covered by this.
Another importance of breastfeeding is that it reduces infection-related mortality by 88 percent among infants under three months, prevents 72 percent of all diarrhoea admissions and 57 percent of respiratory infection admissions.
Breastfeeding decreases the incidence of diarrhoea and respiratory infections by 54 percent and 32 percent , respectively. It positively impacts children’s cognitive development and reduces the risk of them becoming overweight or obese.
Breastfeeding mothers are able to reduce risk of ovarian cancer through breastfeeding their infants. This in turn results in a 6 Percent decrease in the risk of invasive breast cancer for each year of breastfeeding.
“About 20,000 deaths from illnesses such as breast cancer and diabetes are prevented annually through breastfeeding, with potential for further reductions with improved breastfeeding practices. Other benefits include aiding in mother-child bonding and birth spacing,”
This Breastfeeding Week worldwide will promote the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics create awareness on breastfeeding benefits and support for mothers who face barriers to breastfeed.
This year’s breastfeeding week will be launched on August 2, 2024 at Lang’ata Women’s Prison, Nairobi. For the other counties across Kenya, there will be a developed and adapted context-specific initiatives to create awareness about breastfeeding.
