Published at: 2024-08-06Doctors emphasize the importance of extended breastfeeding, recommending it continue for the first two years or even longer.Breast milk offers a powerful shield for children, lowering their risk of illness and aiding their recovery when sick. It also remains a crucial source of nutrients for healthy growth and development.
The benefits extend beyond children. Doctors highlight that longer durations of breastfeeding offer mother’s significant health advantages, including a reduced risk of developing certain breast and ovarian cancers, as well as diabetes.
While the Breast Feeding Week is being celebrated worldwide, the breastfeeding trend in Nepal is steadily declining. Research from Nepal’s tertiary level hospitals reveals that a significant number of mothers were not practicing exclusive breastfeeding because of limited time due to job commitments and other personal ans social reasons. A decade ago Nepal was sought to be very near to achieving its target in breastfeeding, but today the percentage depicts a different story. Instakhabar.com reached out to Mr. Lila Bikram Thapa, Chief of the Nutrition Section at the Family Welfare Division of the Department of Health Services regarding the scenario of Breastfeeding in Nepal. He states that In Nepal, in 2016 and now in 2022, the ratio of breastfeeding by pregnant mothers has reduced from 65% to 55%. In 2016, about 55 out of 100 babies were breastfed within an hour of birth. Because of this, bottle feeding is prevalent – it is a terrible situation in terms of nutrition, infant health and maternal health, and the government is trying to improve it. The government is now conducting a campaign to sensitize those who work in private public hospitals like service providers, together with them government is also spreading awareness. The government is also conducting an awareness campaign through suppliers, producers and media and is preparing to expand the campaign widely. He further stated that The government has also provided BMS training to 753 local level heads this year. As there is a risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in women due to failure to breastfeed, the government has been taking initiatives to make everyone aware of this. The campaign started by the government in 2079 with the establishment of Amrit fund for charitable maternity homes, was started from Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital and this year the government is in the final stage of establishing this fund at BP Koirala Memorial Hospital in Dharan. Next year, breast milk management units in nine hospitals is being set up. This year, the government has done the work of awareness campaign and breast milk promotion by keeping two staff nurses each in 18 hospitals and this work will be continued with new addition every year. Apart from this, the government is planning to conduct counseling training for the nursing staff in hospitals all over Nepal.” As per Thapa – In spite of all the efforts made by the government now, it does not mean that the positive results will be seen tomorrow, it does not mean that bottle feeding will decrease from tomorrow, it is a long process. There will definitely be an improvement in the decrease seen now, it can be improved through the medium of counseling. It is a fact that there is a decrease in infant breastfeeding in Nepal even as the distribution of products such as baby food and especially milk is easily available in the market in a country like ours. The government is now making arrangements to manage it legally, for this the government is preparing to reduce its burden by activating the non-active aspects of the existing law. Now the government is trying to create an environment where such baby food and especially milk can be sold and distributed only on the basis of doctor’s prescription only in special medical conditions. The government of Nepal has been coordinating the programs very well with the organizations and other organizations on infant breastfeeding. The support of UNICEF USAID’s ‘Path’ organization ‘HKI’ and various other organizations is continuing and now we are intensifying the work of wide awareness and promotion through various mediums of social media including mobile app ” Mero Poshan Saathi” and digital library.”
Notable thing is that the government of Nepal spends more than Rs10 million to establish breastfeeding corners at government offices every year. It also conducts costly awareness drives on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding. Despite efforts from the government, Breastfeeding rates in Nepal has been on a downward trend for decades. While nearly all Nepali babies are breastfed, there’s a significant gap in early initiation. While around 55 % of babies are breastfed within the first 24 hours, earlier initiation is vital for optimal infant health. Nepal is one of the thirty-four countries that account for 90% of the world’s child malnutrition incidences. 36%of children are stunted, 10% are wasted, and 27% are underweight, according to NDHS.
Nepal had committed to increasing the exclusive breastfeeding rate to more than 90 percent by 2030, but the rate declined from 70 percent in 2011 to around 66 percent in 2016 and to 56 percent in 2022. This alarming trend has sparked concerns among public health professionals and other stakeholders.
Nepal government had enforced the Mother’s Milk Substitute (Control of Sales and Distribution) Act 1992 and Regulation-1994, some three decades ago but the effective enforcement of this law is far in the horizon.
The alarming fact is that more educated and well-off mothers are less likely to exclusively breastfeed their babies, as shown by different studies.
Key Challenges:
- Declining Breastfeeding Rates: Despite nearly universal initiation, exclusive breastfeeding rates within the crucial first six months are on the decline. This trend is particularly pronounced among educated and affluent mothers.
- Early Introduction of Complementary Foods: Many mothers introduce complementary foods too early, interfering with the establishment of exclusive breastfeeding.
- Lack of Support: Mothers often lack adequate support from healthcare providers, family, and communities, hindering their breastfeeding journey.
- Sociocultural Factors: Traditional beliefs and practices, coupled with modern influences, create a complex environment for breastfeeding mothers.
- Commercial Influences: Aggressive marketing of infant formula and artificial feeding products can undermine breastfeeding practices.
World Breastfeeding Week
World Breastfeeding Week is held in the first week of August every year, supported by WHO, UNICEF and many Ministries of Health and civil society partners. The theme for 2024 is Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all.
Breastfeeding – World Scenario
A staggering 4.5 billion people worldwide – over half the global population – lack access to essential healthcare services. This critical gap in care significantly impacts women’s ability to breastfeed their babies optimally. Many mothers are deprived of the vital support they need, including expert guidance and compassionate counseling, throughout their breastfeeding journey.
Over the past 12 years, there’s been a significant increase in the number of babies exclusively breastfed for their first six months, with a global rise of over 10%. This means almost half of all infants worldwide are now receiving this crucial, life-saving nourishment. Hundreds of thousands of young lives have been saved thanks to this positive trend.
Supporting mothers to breastfeed benefits everyone. Research shows that increasing breastfeeding rates could save over 820,000 young lives annually.
Key Stats – Breastfeeding
• Every $1 invested in breastfeeding interventions yields ~$35 in economic gains
• Suboptimal breastfeeding is associated with economic losses of about $302 billion each year, or 0.49 percent of world gross national income
• Breastfeeding duration is associated with higher IQ and income as well as greater educational attainment
• Scaling up global breastfeeding practices could prevent the deaths of 823,000 children under 5-years-old and 20,000women annually