Highlights the importance of early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic
On the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week (1st to 7th August), experts from Nutrition International, India highlight the importance of early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme this year is ‘Protecting Breastfeeding: Where Lies the Responsibility?’.
Phase one of the NFHS 5, 2019-20 notes that despite improvements in the institutional deliveries, only 50 per cent of new borns are breastfed within the first hour of birth, and this was the situation before the pandemic.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been a disruption of services provided at health sub-centres and Anganwadi Centres as well as a reduction in institutional deliveries, resulting in a decline in uptake of key services such as antenatal and postnatal care and counselling of pregnant and lactating women and weighing of children.
With a lack of appropriate care support and counselling and the fear of infection, a unique set of challenges are emerging concerning fake news and myths such as breastmilk being a carrier of the COVID-19 virus, which discourage breastfeeding.
“With the persistent fear of the third wave of COVID-19 and vaccination for infant and young children still not in sight, it makes re-focusing on breastfeeding even more important”, says Mini Varghese, Nutrition International’s Country Director for India.
There is a need to accelerate efforts to make sure that the gains achieved in the past decades aren’t lost. Children are the future and adequate investments in their health and nutrition need to be made to ensure a solid foundation for their growth and development.