By Lizzy Carr
Stakeholders in nutrition have described breast milk as the safest and most reliable source of nutrition for every child from birth, stressing that it guarantees food security even during periods of economic hardship.
The stakeholders made the call during a rally organised to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2026 in Bauchi State. The rally commenced from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through Bank Road, and ended at the Bauchi Government House.
The event, held under the theme, “Breastfeeding for Sustainable Starting Life: Strengthen What Works,” brought together nutrition-focused organisations, health workers, and government officials to raise awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.
Participants noted that breast milk is a baby’s first immune protection, providing essential nutrients and shielding infants from common childhood illnesses. They, however, expressed concern that Bauchi State continues to record a low exclusive breastfeeding rate, with only 26 out of every 100 babies exclusively breastfed during their first six months of life.
Speaking during the rally, the Bauchi State Coordinator of the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Dabis Mwalike, called on the government to strengthen policies that promote exclusive breastfeeding. Shee specifically urged the implementation of the approved six-month paid maternity leave to enable mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies.
The Director of Public Health at the Bauchi State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Samira Mohammed Abdullahi, described breast milk as a baby’s first vaccine, explaining that it protects children against diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malnutrition.
According to her, children who are exclusively breastfed grow healthier, stronger, and are more likely to perform better academically. She added that breastfeeding also benefits mothers by promoting faster recovery after childbirth, reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, minimizing excessive bleeding after delivery, and supporting healthy child spacing.
She further noted that breastfeeding is a cost-effective investment for families and the nation because it requires no preparation, produces no waste, and provides safe, complete nutrition while reducing pressure on the healthcare system.
Despite these benefits, she observed that many mothers in Bauchi State still do not initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, while others introduce water and complementary foods before babies reach six months of age.
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that Primary Health Care Centres and hospitals continue to promote early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life.
The director also appealed to employers, husbands, mothers-in-law, community members, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to create an enabling environment by providing nursing mothers with the time, support, and encouragement needed to successfully breastfeed. She cautioned against the misleading promotion of breast milk substitutes.
Also speaking, a father of seven encouraged families to actively support nursing mothers, saying his personal experience has shown that exclusive breastfeeding is essential for the healthy growth and development of children.
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