Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
As part of efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding, the Management of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, has slashed by half, child delivery bills of all women delivered of their babies at the hospital.
The gesture, according to the Chief Medical Director, CMD of the hospital, Professor Ijeoma Nduka, was in honour of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week.
Professor Nduka who said the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are huge, admonished mothers on the importance of introducing their newborn babies to breast milk.
Sensitising nursing mothers on the gains of breast milk, the Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine, described as “exceptional and unquantifiable,” the health benefits of breastfeeding.
The CMD advised against the attitude of some young mothers who prefer feeding their babies with food supplements to breast milk especially in the first six month.
Professor Nduka urged nursing mothers to strictly adhere to the World Health Organisation’s stipulation of ensuring that their newborn babies are exclusively breast fed during the first six months after birth.
She explained that no other man-made alternatives or supplements possessed similar nutrients like breast milk.
The CMD also enjoined fathers to encourage and fully support their wives to feed their babies with breast milk.
She reassured nursing mothers of the preparedness of the hospital under her watch, to support them at all times.
Free insecticide-treated bed nets, were later distributed to the nursing mothers courtesy of the hospital.
