THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and its stakeholders recently commemorated the World Breastfeeding Week highlighting the importance of breastfeeding.
It was held based on the theme ‘Close the Gap: Breastfeeding support for all.’
Speaking at the event on behalf of the MHMS Permanent Secretary Pauline McNeil, the Deputy Secretary (Healthcare), Dr Gregory Jilini said, the theme emphasized the importance of ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the support and resources necessary for successful breastfeeding.
Dr Jilini said, globally, exclusive breastfeeding rates have increased by 10 percentage over the past decade, reaching 48 percent. This almost reaches the World Health Assembly target of 50 percent by 2025.
“In Solomon Islands, breastfeeding initiation for the past five years to this year is over 50 percent and for 2024 half the year breastfeeding initiation is 81 percent (HIS reports).
“Solomon Islands rate of exclusive breastfeeding for the past five years is also above 50 percent and for this year 2024 half of the year is 72 percent.
“Solomon Islands therefore has reached its target of at least 50 percent of all live births to be exclusively breastfeed,” Dr Jilini said.
He added that to promote exclusive breastfeeding in the country, the MHMS, with support from WHO and UNICEF, has introduced a number of initiatives.
The first is the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, the second is Infant and Young Child Feeding and third is the development of Baby-friendly Policy and Breastfeeding Policy.
“Some of the benefits of breastfeeding are that it provides essential nutrients, boosts the immune system and reduces the risk of infections, chronic conditions and obesity to infant health.
“Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancers for mothers, promotes postpartum weight loss, and strengthens the maternal-infant bond for maternal health,” Dr Jilini said.
Dr Jilini thanked World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for their continuous support to MHMS and for financially supporting the World Breastfeeding Week event.
Source: MHMS
A health worker attending to a baby during the World Breastfeeding week
