By Rafiullah Mandokhail
ZHOB: Speakers at a seminar highlighted the importance of breastfeeding for babies’ mental and physical development and protecting them from infections and gastrointestinal infections.
The seminar was organized under the auspices of the Al-Shifa Foundation with the financial support of the World Food Programme (WFP) here in Zhob. Doctors, health staff, and mothers in a large number attended the seminar.
Speaking on the occasion, District Coordinator Al-Shifa Foundation Tahir Shah Sherani said that organizing the seminar is aimed at highlighting the importance of breastfeeding and creating awareness in society.
“During the week-long breastfeeding campaign, mothers in every nook and cranny of the district have been informed about the importance of breastfeeding through awareness sessions and the dissemination of global breastfeeding messages,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of breastfeeding, DHO Dr Muzaffar Shah, MS Teaching Hospital, Dr Akhter Muhammad Mandokhail, and others said that breastfeeding is incredibly important for babies, offering them numerous benefits for their physical, emotional, and cognitive development rather than the formula or bottle milk.
“Breast milk provides the babies with a perfect mix of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, promoting healthy growth and development. It also contains antibodies that help protect the babies from infections and diseases,” adding that the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, with continued breastfeeding along with solid foods until at least two years old. They emphasized.
It is worth mentioning that, supported by WHO, UNICEF, WFP, and other partner organizations, every year the first week of August is marked as ‘World Breastfeeding Week’. This year, 2024, the theme is ‘Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All’.