United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Chief of Field Office Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, on Friday emphasised on breastfeeding, describing it as “babies’ first vaccine, first hug, and the first promise of survival”.

Chiluwe stated this during the flag-off of 2025 World Breastfeeding Week celebration held at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), and the Ultra Modern International Market yesterday in Makurdi.

She admonished stakeholders including states and Local Government officials to place mothers first by encouraging them to prioritise breastfeeding as well as build sustainable support system for every mother and child in the country.

Speaking om the theme “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems, the Unicef Chief of Field Officer stated that the aim was to highlight the importance of breastfeeding and the need for supportive systems for mothers and babies.

According to her, “The critical role of breastfeeding in ensuring newborn survival and development is that breastfeeding is not just food, but a newborn’s first vaccine, first hug, and the first promise of survival.”

Chiluwe disclosed that available data from Benue revealed that only 47% of newborns are breastfed within the first hour of life, and only 56.7% of children are exclusively breastfed for six months, falling short of the national goal of 65% and the global target of 60% by 2025.

She, however, said that there is high rate of breastfeeding in Nigeria, with over 90% of mothers breastfeeding their babies.

She said UNICEF, in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria and partners, is calling for bold, coordinated action to support breastfeeding mothers, such support included, training health workers, investing in community health workers, ensuring six months of paid maternity leave, and creating breastfeeding-friendly workplaces.

Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Primary HealthCare Board,Mrs Grace Wende, described children as investment to their parents and advised mothers to prioritize breastfeeding to children, the natural milk without water for at least one year.

She said, “If children are given breast milk without water,it will make the child grow,build the child’s intellectual capacity and strong”.

Mrs Wende highlighted advantages of breastfeeding, saying that the period of breastfeeding will also allow the mother an opportunity to take a critical look at the child to know whether such a child has other health challenges that would be attended to very early.

The Chief Medical Director, Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Stephen Hwande, advised mothers not to be in a haste to stop breastfeeding, just as he informed the mothers that children are insurance cover to the parents during their old age as they would in turn support them.

While stating that delivery iin the hospital was the cheapest in the world at N5000 admonished lacting mothers to always breastfeed their children saying, “it makes the children more intelligent.“ (Saturday Tribune)