National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on nursing mothers and pregnant women to adhere to the International Code of Breastfeeding to ensure children’s healthy growth and development.
NAFDAC’s director-general, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, in a message to mark the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), held globally, explained that WBW was an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of breastfeeding.
This year’s theme, “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” highlights the vital link between breastfeeding and environmental sustainability.
“Breastfeeding is essential to a child’s survival, development, and mental health,” she said. “It strengthens immunity, reduces the risk of malnutrition, and remains one of the most effective strategies for safeguarding children’s health.
“The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding from birth for the first six months, followed by the introduction of complementary foods and continued breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond. Breastfeeding is safe, cost-effective, and improves public health outcomes,” she said.
She reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to enforcing compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS) and promoting breastfeeding as superior to BMS. The agency monitors the marketing of breastmilk substitutes in supermarkets and retail outlets to ensure adherence to the code.
As part of activities marking this year’s WBW in Ibadan, Oyo State, the NAFDAC BMS team visited key maternity homes and primary healthcare centres, including Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan, Primary Healthcare Centre, Oranyan, Ibadan, Primary Healthcare Centre, Idi Ogungun, Agodi Gate, Ibadan.
According to the South-West zonal director, Mrs. Roseline Ajayi, the visits were strategically scheduled to coincide with antenatal and immunisation days. This allowed the team to interact with pregnant women and nursing mothers, educating them on the nutritional and health benefits of breastfeeding over breast milk substitutes.
She added that the sessions were interactive, with mothers given the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the lecture.
The 2025 World Breastfeeding Week celebrations in Ibadan were described as a resounding success.
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