By Praise Chinecherem
Wife of Anambra State Governor, Dr. Nonye Soludo has cautioned mothers against discouraging their married daughters from exclusively breastfeeding their babies without water.
She stressed the importance of breastfeeding babies without water, saying such exclusives guarantees healthy living and bonding between the mother and the child.
Mrs. Soludo spoke in Awka at the first August Women Health Conference organised by Ministry of Health in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO).
She revealed that all her six children underwent exclusive breastfeeding, saying she had no regrets over the decision.
She said, “When mothers go to their daughters’ homes for omugwo (baby sitting), many of them insist their daughters give water to their babies undergoing exclusive breastfeeding.
“I know some do it out of ignorance, not realizing that the breast contains enough water the child needs for his/her growth and development.”
Mrs. Soludo further urged women to give birth to children they could cater for, saying producing children without catering for them would amount to inhumane.
“If you’re not ready to take care of the children, needless producing these innocent children to subject them to untold hardship,” she added.
Assistant Public Health Officer, WHO, Mrs. Uju Ojiagwu, described mothers as critical stakeholders in health matters, urging them to insist on routine childhood vaccination to protect the children against diseases and secure their health.
She also decried number of unimmunized children in the state, just as she revealed that only 45 per cent of resident in the state were vaccinated against Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
“Also, there are many unimmunized children in the state as mothers do not take their children to the health centres for vaccination,” she said.
Earlier, Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike appreciated the Wife of the Governor for taking up health interventions for women and children as her pet project.
He said no fewer than 4,760 women have so far been screened under the free cervical cancer screening, while 91 were infected and scheduled for treatment.
“Rota virus vaccine which cost N9, 000 has been made free in the state, free cleft lip and palate surgery is ongoing and in partnership with UNICEF,” he said.
