Health experts at a seminar on Saturday expressed their grave concern on the increasing infant mortality rate, saying that decrease in the trend of mother breast-feeding was the main cause behind the death of newborns. They were speaking at a seminar organised by Federal Nutrition Wing (FNW) and National Institute of Health (NIH) in connection with global breast-feeding week at a local hotel.
Federal Nutrition Wing President of Dr Baseer Achakzai, representative of UNISEF Shubba Afghani, nutrition expert Dr Zahid and others participated in the event. They said breast feeding provides safety to children from many diseases and also strengthens the relation of mother and child. They added that due to improper nutrition, about 57% children up to 5 years die in their early age.
Baseer Achakzai said that food deficiency in the blood of pregnant women is also a big nutrition problem and about 70,000 women in the whole world are facing food deficiency, adding that most of these women belong to South Asia and Pakistan is on the top of the list. He observed Pakistan is also facing severe nutrition problems due to poverty owing to which the women between 15 and 45 are also facing blood deficiency.
“This rate is 100% in the breast-feeding women and 49% in pregnant women,” he added. He remarked breast-feeding also provides infants with protection from infectious and respiratory illnesses, boosts their immune systems and protects them from chronic conditions later in life. The other speakers revealed that only 38 percent infants worldwide benefit from exclusive breast feeding.
Action to support breast feeding mothers and promote exclusive breast-feeding can help save children’s lives. Shubba Afghani of United Nations Children’s Fund said UNICEF and World Health Organization are working with the Pakistan government to create awareness of breast-feeding.