The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The country would have to spend a total of Tk 300 billion (30,000 cr) annually for import of powder milk if mothers did not go for breastfeeding.

This was disclosed at a press conference organised by Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday on the eve of the World Breastfeeding Week that begins today.

The press conference was informed that the spending on import of infant formula has come down to Tk 4.0 billion per year with the awareness raised about breastfeeding in the country. In Bangladesh, over 90 per cent mothers continue to breastfeed their children upto two years of age, the conference was told. In cooperation with relevant government and donor agencies, the BBF has taken up a countrywide programmes including holding workshops at divisional headquarters, discussion meetings at district and upazila levels, rallies, seminars, debates and reception to successful breastfeeding mothers.

The theme of the week this year is: Mother support: Going for the gold.

The programme of the Breastfeeding Week will be inaugurated at a function at the Institute of Mother and Child Health (IMCH) at Matuail in the outskirts of the city.

Speaking at the press conference, BBF Chairperson Dr SK Roy said working mothers should be extended all sorts of support so that they can breastfeed their children at work.

'Mothers should breastfeed their children exclusively up to six months of age to keep their children free from any food poisoning, which often leads to serious illness,' he said.

Roy said after six months, other complementary foods can be added to the menu.

The BBF leaders emphasised the need for providing social support to mothers to continue breastfeeding.

They said infant mortality rate could be reduced significantly with proper breastfeeding.

UNICEF representative Mohsin Ali said around 57 per cent mothers do not know the proper way of breastfeeding and this ignorance is blamed for infant mortality to some extent.

Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN) Director Dr Fatema Parveen Chowdhury, BBF Secretary Dr Sufia Khatun, board members Dr Nazneen Kabir, Sarwar Zahan, Ishaque Ali, among others, were present at the press conference.