The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has inaugurated a Multi-sectoral Technical Committee in Kaduna State to enforce the International Code for Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS). The committee was inaugurated during a three-day capacity training in Zaria. Prof. Moji Adeyeye, the director-eneral of NAFDAC, described the initiative as a crucial step towards effectively regulating, monitoring, and enforcing the BMS code in the state. Mr Nasiru Mato, the state coordinator, represented Prof. Adeyeye during the inauguration.
To expedite the implementation process, a five-year strategy was developed in 2021. The committee in Kaduna State, the first of its kind in the country, was established to carry out the important task ahead.
The international code of marketing of breastmilk substitutes, adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 1981, serves as a tool to safeguard, support, and promote optimal breastfeeding. The Code aims to ensure safe feeding practices, improve infant nutrition, and protect breastfeeding mothers from aggressive marketing of baby foods.
Effective monitoring and enforcement of adherence to the Code and national regulations by governments are crucial to protect breastfeeding and take action against violators. This is necessary to counter the commercial pressures faced by BMS manufacturers and distributors. Prof. Adeyeye emphasized the importance of governments in this regard.
Prof. Adeyeye expressed gratitude to Save the Children International (SCI) and Alive & Thrive, a global nutrition initiative, for their support in ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Code. Mrs. Amabel Olukotun, the advocacy assistant at SCI, highlighted that the organization’s support for Code implementation is made possible through the Gates Anchor IV Grant.
Olukotun emphasized the need for raising awareness among breastfeeding mothers, highlighting that breast milk is nutrient-rich, healthier, and more cost-effective compared to BMS.
