As the global community marks World Breastfeeding Week from August 1-7, the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) is promoting breastfeeding as essential for the health and wellbeing of both mother and child.
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko highlighted the numerous benefits of breastfeeding and the ongoing efforts to support mothers in this endeavour.
"Breastfeeding offers unmatched health benefits for mothers and their children," said Nkomo-Ralehoko.
"As the baby develops, a mother's breast milk provides the perfect nutrition tailored to the baby's needs, boosting immunity and reducing the risk of infections."
South Africa is currently grappling with low exclusive breastfeeding rates.
According to the 2023/2024 District Health Information System data, only 42.7% of infants in Gauteng are exclusively breastfed at 14 weeks, with a drastic drop to 7.4% at six months.
This decline has contributed to severe acute malnutrition, with Gauteng reporting a fatality rate of 6.4% in 2023/24.
In response to this year's theme, "Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All," the GDoH has initiated several programs to promote and support breastfeeding.
These initiatives include comprehensive services designed to assist mothers in maintaining exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuing up to two years or beyond.
"All public hospitals in the province are implementing the Mother Baby Friendly Initiative (MBFI) and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC)," Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
"These initiatives focus on improving care and outcomes for mothers and their newborn babies. The MBFI outlines a set of 10 steps that hospitals and maternity centers can implement to become 'baby-friendly' and promote breastfeeding."
Through the KMC method, healthcare workers ensure that low birth weight and pre-term infants have access to exclusive breastfeeding or the mother's breast milk.
This method has proven effective in promoting breastfeeding, reducing infections, and improving long-term growth and development outcomes.
The GDoH continues to advocate for exclusive breastfeeding and urges all societal sectors, including workplaces and churches, to support breastfeeding mothers.
"Breastfeeding is crucial for the health of our community," said Nkomo-Ralehoko. "We must all play our part in supporting mothers to provide the best start for their children."
IOL