Health officials have expressed serious concerns over the decrease in exclusive breastfeeding rates in the Tema metropolis.
Exclusive breastfeeding, which is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), involves feeding infants only breast milk for the first six months of life, providing essential nutrients and vital protection against diseases.
Mrs Joyce Asare Kissi, a Registered Nutritionist and Dietitian and Head of the Nutrition Department at Tema General Hospital, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, revealed that there has been a significant decrease of over 200 mothers falling behind in exclusive breastfeeding rates at the three-month mark compared to the previous year.
Mrs Kissi attributed the decline to several factors, including lack of baby-friendly environments in institutions and workplaces.
She highlighted the absence of comfortable spaces for nursing mothers to breastfeed and appealed to the government to review the three-month maternal leave policy to enable mothers to breastfeed exclusively for six months.
She emphasised the long-term health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, which included a reduced risk of diabetes and other diet-related conditions in children.
She highlighted that exclusive breastfeeding aids in the reduction of ovarian and breast cancer in women.
She said the Tema General Hospital’s Nutrition Department was committed to reversing the massive decline and promoting exclusive breastfeeding to safeguard the health and well-being of both mothers and children in the community.
Ms Vera Boakye, a Nutrition Officer of the Tema General Hospital, emphasised the critical benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.
Ms Boakye stressed the protective effects of breast milk against common illnesses, including respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and allergies, as well as its role in reducing infant mortality rates.
She said it was appropriate to end breastfeeding after two years.