Employers have been urged to establish breastfeeding areas at workplaces to enable lactating mothers abide by the six months exclusive breastfeeding of their babies.
According to UNICEF Ghana, this would help babies receive the right nutrition, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity at the work place.
“It is done elsewhere outside the country and it is doable within our contest,” said UNICEF Nutrition Officer, Jevaise Aballo. “It is very important they create space at workplaces to enable mothers to bring their babies there while working.”
He said studies have shown that employers who provided such a facility at the workplace did not see much absenteeism from employees and that meant increase output.
“Absenteeism comes at a cost to the employer. If you are able to create such a facility for mothers to breastfeed their babies, the breast milk will protect the babies from falling sick frequently which might cause the employee to absent themselves from work,” he explained.
He added that when mothers know that their babies are close by and they could check up on them, it gives them a sound mind to work.
Mr. Aballo was speaking on the sidelines of a day’s workshop organised by UNICEF Ghana and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) for journalists themed, “Equipping media workers with information to support media reportage on nutrition and nurturing care.”
He said breastfeeding benefitted the country economically by preventing 3,773 neonatal deaths every years, while saving the country over $5.8 million (money which is spent in healthcare costs) and generating more than $594 million for the economy.
He, however, noted that the percentage of infants exclusively breastfed had reduced from 52 per cent in 2014 to 43 per cent in 2017, while that of newborns put to breast within an hour of birth also declined from 56 per cent in 2014 to 52 per cent in 2017.
Also, the percentage of children six to 23 months that received foods from at least five of eight food groups also declined from 28 per cent in 2014 to 23 per cent in 2017.
“The prevalence of underweight among children under five years of age has increased from 11 per cent in 2014 to 13 per cent in 2017.
Prevalence of wasting among children under five years increased from five per cent in 2014 to seven per cent in 2017,” he noted.
Greater Accra Regional Nutrition Officer of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Faustina Vimariba Tour, encouraged mothers to diversify during the complementary feeding period by including the “four star diets” including staple, animal protein, legume and vegetables.
“The child should have bits and pieces of all the essentials,” she added.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri