Breast milk supplements discourage breastfeeding

Speakers say at a seminar
Speakers at a seminar yesterday said aggressive marketing and business of breast milk supplements, including instant cereals and powdered milk, need to be controlled in order to promote breastfeeding, which is the ultimate solution to malnutrition of children.
They pointed out that only Tk 17 crore is needed annually to promote breastfeeding, which is beneficiary for the child as the best source of nutrition, for mothers because breastfeeding curbs breast cancer and eventually the entire nation.
However, a huge sum of Tk 3,200 crore is spent annually to import supplementary foods, which can be easily saved by promoting breastfeeding and home cooked complimentary foods.
The speakers said about 90,000 children under the age of five die of malnutrition every year in Bangladesh. The number stands at 240 daily. About 45 percent deaths of infants under six months result from inadequate breastfeeding while only 43 percent of mothers prefer breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding Marketing Forum (BCMF) organised the seminar titled ‘Invest more on breastfeeding and home cooked complimentary food’ at the National Press Club in the city.
Dr Khurshid Talukdar, paediatric consultant of Women and Children Health Kendra (Savar), presented a keynote paper.
He said supplementary food does not contain all the nutrients provided by breast milk. Yet aggressive marketing breast milk supplements are often chosen by mothers or even prescribed by doctors.
Investing on children is the best investment for a nation, he said, adding that the ratio of breastfeeding is so low due to lack of awareness and support for mothers.
Investment on breastfeeding is tremendously meagre, because it does not provide instant profit. This attitude needs to be changed. Even Unicef allocates only 0.13 of its annual budget to promote breastfeeding.
Khurshid suggested increasing budgetary allocation to create a community support group for mothers.
National Prof MR Khan was present at the seminar as the chief guest while Prof Muzaffer Ahmed, chairman of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan), spoke as the special guest.
Prof Md Shahidullah, pro-vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Prof MQK Talukdar, chairman of Women and Children Health Kendra, and Prof Fatima Parvin Chowdhury, chairman of Institute of Public Health Nutrition, also spoke.

Courtesy of The Daily Star