KABUL (SW) – In connection with the “Breastfeeding Week”, officials at the Ministry of Public Health say that during the last one year, three million people in Afghanistan have been informed about the importance of feeding a child with breast milk.
Mohammad Hamid Wazir, acting head of the Department of Public Nutrition, says that last year, one million mothers who did not have enough milk to feed their children, were given nutritional food packages.
He adds: “Last year, three million people were advised to promote breastfeeding through mother’s milk in clinics, and we had 175 advertisements only through murals and posters.”
Mohammad Hamid Wazir says that they have decided to increase their strengthening and counseling programs for mothers in the coming year.
A number of mothers who have used formula milk to feed their children say that their children are malnourished.
Kaynat, a mother whose twin babies are suffering from malnutrition, says that due to low milk supply, she had no choice but to use formula milk to feed her children.
She adds: “I used to give my babies powdered milk. My milk was not enough. Both were fed. I could not feed myself because our eeconomic situation is not good.”
Najiba, who has also used powdered milk to feed her children, says: “I understand that mother’s milk is useful, but my children have had diarrhea and vomiting for three months. I have raised my four children with powdered milk.”
These mothers whose children are malnourished say that they have not received any strengthening food packages from the Ministry of Public Health.
Agha Ahmed Shirzad, an internal medicine specialis in Kabul, says that children who are fed fformula milk have a weak immune system. “Breast milk should not be cut off. Immunity from various diseases is transmitted through breast milk. It has all kinds of vitamins for the baby and powdered milk makes the baby more malnourished.”
ENDS
