Kwara First Lady Advocates for Exclusive Breastfeeding During World Breastfeeding Week
Kwara State First Lady, Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq, has urged nursing mothers to ensure their children are exclusively breastfed from the first hour of birth to six months for optimal mental and physical growth. This call was made during the launch of World Breastfeeding Week, themed “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” organized by the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency in Ilorin.
Ambassador AbdulRazaq emphasized the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, highlighting its critical role in a child’s health. She also called on community heads, religious, and political leaders to support awareness campaigns on the benefits of breastfeeding.
The First Lady, represented by Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Opeyemi Oluwakemi Afolashade, noted that the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration has created an environment conducive to meeting the global target of 70% exclusive breastfeeding by 2030. The administration’s initiatives include approving a six-month maternity leave for civil servants and training 300 healthcare workers on infant and young child feeding practices.
Ambassador AbdulRazaq highlighted the celebration’s aim to recognize breastfeeding mothers, promote supportive policies, and mobilize community solidarity for optimal breastfeeding practices. As part of the event, 30,000 mothers, including 500 from Kwara State, will breastfeed their babies across Nigeria, symbolizing a collective commitment to promoting breastfeeding.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminat El-Imam, and Executive Secretary of the Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Nusirat Elelu, also emphasized the benefits of breastfeeding. UNICEF representative Pharmacist Adebayo Bolaji described breastfeeding as essential for lifelong health and well-being.
Dignitaries at the event included the wife of the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mrs. Sa’adat Salihu Danladi, and several commissioners and special advisers.
