BREASTFEEDING: Zazzau Emirate to partner health sector in educating nursing mothers

By Mu’azu Abubakar Albarkawa, Kaduna

The Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli has assured that, his emirate is ready to support health sector in educating nursing mothers on significance of exclusive breast feeding.

The emir stated this while receiving officials of National Orientation Agency NOA ,UNICEF Kaduna state ministry of health officials to mark the sensitization campaign on exclusive breast feeding held at his palace in Zaria.

He stressed the need for pregnant women to imbibe the culture of attending anteanatal care to reduce maternal morality rate.

He assured health experts that the emirate remained committed to supporting their activities to achieve desired objective.

Earlier, nutrition specialist from UNICEF Kaduna, Madam Chinweri Ezefa said, they were on advocacy visit to the Emir considering his position as a father and a leader.

She said the UNICEF was ready to partner with traditional institutions and religious leaders to promote advocacy campaign on exclusive breast feeding and reduce maternal motality rate across the state.

Also, state Director National Orientation Agency (NOA) Kaduna state Malam Zubairu Galadima Soba said they were in the palace to brief the council members on the efforts put in place to enlighten and organise community dialogue to house holds, pregnant, nursing women on the importance of exclusive breast feeding.

Malam Zubairu explained that if babies were given exclusive breast feeding it improves the infants brain and other parts of the body.

In a related development Kaduna state government said it has spent over one billion naira in the area of community management on acute malnutrition programs.

The Director nutrition, Kaduna state Primary Health Care Board Mr, Adams stated this during an advocacy campaign visit to Emir of Zazzau mal Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli.

He said the state government would continue to take necessary steps to reduce malnutrition across the state.

Also speaking, the Technical expert and UNICEF consultant on nutrition Malam SANI Hassan pointed out that two million children benefited from the Kaduna state malnutrition programs.

Malam SANI said “twenty seven percent of nursing mothers are not practicing exclusive breast feeding exercise in the state”.