The Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Healthcare Development Agency Dr Nuhu Tukura says a bill seeking for a six months maternity leave with pay for nursing mothers is before the State House of Assembly, as part of efforts by the State Government to support exclusive breastfeeding.
He also said the Agency has recorded some level of success in it’s 6 months exclusive breastfeeding campaign across primary healthcare centres in the State, in partnership with international organisation’s such as the UNICEF.
Nigeria’s national data on exclusive breastfeeding in the country has improved to 30 percent, an increase still below the World Health Organization’s 50 percent target, and identified as a major factor for infant mortality the country.
Taraba state is pushing to further increase the number.
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According to the United Nation’s International Children’s Fund UNICEF, the rate for the exclusive breastfeeding of babies in the first six months of life in Nigeria is still low despite improvements, and there is the need to provide support for breasfeeding mothers to improve child and infant mortality.
With exclusive breastfeeding identified as critical in the survival of newborns, primary healthcare centres in rural Taraba State are advocating for family, government and community support for lactating mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies.
According to Nigeria’s national data, between 25 to 30 percent of nursing mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies in the first six months of life.
However, it’s a statistics that stakeholders believe can be improved through support for nursing mothers from family, the community, and Government to meet the World Health Organization’s target of 50%
