Some nursing mothers at a forum in the Sissala East Municipality have appealed to men to give them utmost support to enable them properly breastfeed their babies.
They said unstable minds caused by quarrels and other forms of abuse from their spouses adversely affected lactating mothers’ ability to produce adequate breast milk to feed their babies.
“Nursing mothers require a total peace of mind to be able to produce adequate breast milk to feed their babies,” Madam Adisah Latif, a 43-year-old mother of four, said at the forum at the Mwanduanu community in the municipality at the weekend.
The Action for Sustainable Development (ASAUDEV), a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), organised the forum under a Unicef and Ghana Health Service partnered project to increase demand for maternal healthcare services.
Pharmacists, Over the Counter (OTC) chemical sellers and health officials, among others from the Sissala East Municipality participated in the day’s forum, which was on the theme: “Increasing Demand for Breastfeeding and Quality Care for Mothers and Newborns”.
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Madam Latif said the abuse of breast-feeding mothers did not only affect their breast milk production but also affected their ability to properly breastfeed the babies.
Mr Osman Kanton, the Executive Director of ASUDEV, said the forum was also to create the avenue for the participants to discuss matters, relating to breast milk substitutes and to share issues from the communities and how they could cause a change in that regard.
Mr Saani Nyuasun, the Sissla East Municipal Disease Control Officer, who represented the Municipal Health Director, said exclusive breastfeeding could, among other things, provide the child with strong immunity to fight diseases and illnesses.
Mr Nyuasun added that exclusive breastfeeding also led to the proper brain development of the child, saying “If we want productivity to increase and the human race to exist, then proper breastfeeding is required.”
Mr Karim Nanyua, the Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive, commended ASUDEV for its good work in improving the health and wellbeing of the people.
He called for strong education on exclusive breastfeeding through continuous sensitisation, saying “take it further to the grassroots.”
