By Nelson Manneh
The Acting Executive Director of the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), Malang Fofana, has informed the press that the Gambia needs more support to promote, protect and support optimal infant and young children nutrition to enable them to meet the 60% target set out in the National Nutrition Policy 2021-2025.
He made this statement on Thursday, 1 August 2024.
Mr Fofana made this remark during the commemoration of World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2024. World Breastfeeding Week is a global observance that aims to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of both infants and mothers. The theme for this year’s campaign “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” aims to build on the successes of the previous year.
World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration that is held every year from the 1st to the 7th of August in more than 120 countries.
According to the 26 August data of the WBW website, 540 events have been held worldwide by more than 79 countries with 488 organizations and 406,620 participants for the World Breastfeeding Week 2010.
WBW started in 1992, with annual themes including healthcare systems, women and work, the International Code of Marketing of Breast milk substitutes, community support, ecology, economy, science, education, and human rights. 2024 will focus on survival, health and wellbeing. It showcases the need to improve breastfeeding support to reduce inequalities that exist in our society with a special focus on breastfeeding in times of emergencies and crises.
“As enshrined in the ‘Convention on the Rights of the Child’, every infant and child has the right to good nutrition, which reflects on this year’s theme: Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All. The World Health Organization has reported that under nutrition is associated with 45% of child deaths globally,” ED Fofana said.
He said the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months has steadily increased over the years from 48% in 2013 to 54% in 2019.
Mr Sanjally Tarawalleh, the Deputy Director of Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health, said breastfeeding can act as an equalizer in society and efforts must be made to ensure everyone has access to breastfeeding support and opportunities.
“It is essential that no-one is left behind especially vulnerable mothers who may need additional support to reduce breastfeeding inequalities,” he noted.
