Fatima Naib, Chief of Advocacy and Communications, UNICEF Ghana
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Ghana is observing World Breastfeeding Week, which is held annually in the first week of August, by highlighting the roles breastfeeding plays in child survival, growth, and long-term health.
In a press release, UNICEF Ghana explained that the celebration will serve as a platform to raise awareness about the health and developmental benefits of breastfeeding, while also calling for strong support systems within workplaces, healthcare settings, and communities.
“UNICEF Ghana supports the Government of Ghana to ensure mothers get the help they need, when they need it, wherever they are – whether at work, home or in their community. This includes building capacity to ensure skilled counselling from trained, empathetic health workers throughout their breastfeeding journey, advocating for workplace policies that protect their right to breastfeed, and community networks that provide ongoing support,” it read.
UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend that infants be breastfed within one hour of birth and exclusively breastfed in their first six months. Babies should begin eating safe, adequate, and diverse complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding up to two years or beyond. Ghana, however, still faces challenges in promoting breastfeeding practices.
“Over the past two decades, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months has remained relatively stagnant at 52.6%. Early initiation of breastfeeding is delayed for 41.8% of newborns, with significant regional disparities. In Greater Accra, Ahafo, and Eastern regions, more than half of babies do not begin breastfeeding within the first hour of life. Nationally, the median duration of exclusive breastfeeding is 2.9 months, far below the recommended six months, with regional variations ranging from just 1 month in Western North to 4.9 months in the Savannah Region,” it added.
In response to these challenges, Ghana has taken significant steps, including the enactment of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1667, which regulates the marketing of breastmilk substitutes. This law prohibits the promotion and distribution of infant formula, bottles, pacifiers, and similar products in health facilities, and bans the offering of free samples to healthcare workers.
“A key milestone in Ghana’s breastfeeding journey is the enactment of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 1667, which regulates the marketing of breastmilk substitutes. The law prohibits the promotion, advertising, and distribution of formula breast milk supplements, bottles, teats, and pacifiers in health facilities, and bans free samples to healthcare workers. It mandates exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods up to two years or beyond. To strengthen enforcement, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has introduced a QR Code system that allows citizens to report violations, reinforcing accountability and community participation,” it explained.
The release also explained that the benefits of breastfeeding extend far beyond nutrition, as mothers who breastfeed are less at risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
BY Vera Owusu Sarpong