A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: Undefined array key 0
Filename: views/newspaper.php
Line Number: 25
Backtrace:
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/views/newspaper.php
Line: 25
Function: _error_handler
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/controllers/Newspaper.php
Line: 614
Function: view
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: Attempt to read property "name" on null
Filename: views/newspaper.php
Line Number: 25
Backtrace:
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/views/newspaper.php
Line: 25
Function: _error_handler
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/controllers/Newspaper.php
Line: 614
Function: view
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: Undefined array key 0
Filename: views/newspaper.php
Line Number: 25
Backtrace:
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/views/newspaper.php
Line: 25
Function: _error_handler
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/controllers/Newspaper.php
Line: 614
Function: view
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: Attempt to read property "name" on null
Filename: views/newspaper.php
Line Number: 25
Backtrace:
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/views/newspaper.php
Line: 25
Function: _error_handler
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/application/controllers/Newspaper.php
Line: 614
Function: view
File: /home1/checkam/news.checkam.info/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once
Government, partners to promote exclusive breastfeeding from 0-6 mouths.
Government, partners to promote exclusive breastfeeding from 0-6 mouths.
The ceremony marking the National Breastfeeding Week in Cameroon, which started on October 22, focuses on empowering parents to enable optimal exclusive breastfeeding within their communities. The official ceremony which took place at the Mother and Child Centre of the Chantal Biya Foundation was presided at by the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie who appealed on all to implement innovative strategies to improve on breast feeding practice.
The representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Phanuel Habimana, disclosed that more than 800, 000 lives would be saved globally if all babies were breast fed, since it is a natural source of nutrition which helps establish the baby’s immune system.
Talking to the population who were all mobilized to launch the national breastfeeding week, Professor Koki Ndombo Paul, Director of the Mother and Child Centre of the Chantal Biya Foundation, said breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for infants and protects them against infections. Breastfeeding also burns extra calories and lowers risks of breast and ovarian cancer in the mother. Even though breastfeeding is a common practice in Cameroon, the 2018 Demographic and Health Surveys says only 40 per cent of children in the country are exclusively breastfed in the first six months, slightly above the 35 per cent average breast feeding rate in Africa.
The country is therefore gearing up to attain the 50 per cant breastfeeding rate before 2015 set by the World Health Organization as noted by the Public Health Minister, Dr. Manaouda Malachie. This will be done by implementing strategies that have been successful elsewhere such as the Baby Friendly Hospital initiative and the strict application of the International Code of Marketing Breast Milk Substitutes which will help Cameroon improve on its breastfeeding goals.
James Achanyi Fontem, President of the Federation of Cameroon Breastfeeding Associations emphasized that, starting from the first month after birth, breastfeeding helps the baby since that is when the brain of the baby is triggered for recognition. “That is why babies that are breastfed are attached to their mothers. The event is not only directed to mothers but to fathers as well, men have to assist women by helping the child”, he advised.
Over the past few years, a number of efforts have been made by the Cameroonian government and partners to promote exclusive breastfeeding as prescribed by the WHO. This is often witnessed during antenatal visits and routine vaccination in district hospitals in the country. Maternity leave of three months is also a measure put forth by the government for mothers to breastfeed their infants. Campaigns, educative talks have also been used to sensitize pregnant and nursing mothers on the fact that artificial feeding impacts on the baby negatively health wise, physically and psychologically.
Culled from Cameroon Insider.