Wife of the Abia State governor, Mrs Pricilla Otti, has presented starter packs and other items to some nursing mothers in the state, congratulating them on safe delivery.
Mrs Otti made the presentation during the inauguration of the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week organised by the state’s Primary Healthcare Development Agency in Umuahia.
Represented by the commissioner for women affairs and poverty alleviation, Mrs Blessing Felix, she underscored the importance of adequate breastfeeding for both babies and mothers, describing it as a unique gift.
“The theme of the week ‘Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,’ is very timely and necessary, she noted, and congratulated nursing mothers, babies, and the agency on the occasion.
She restated the commitment of the government to creating a supportive environment for mothers, calling on ministries, departments, and agencies to provide creche facilities for working mothers.
The permanent secretary in the state’s ministry of health, Dr Ifeyinwa Uma-Kalu, said breastfeeding does not only nourish the body and soul, but also strengthens the bond between mother and child.
A UNICEF representative, Mr. Ephraim Chukwu, said the initiative was aimed at achieving at least 50 percent coverage of breastfeeding by 2025.
The executive secretary of the agency, Dr. Kalu Ulu-Kalu, said the purpose of the week was to raise awareness on breastfeeding and its benefits.
