| Izah Azahari |
THE World Breastfeeding Week is a global activity aimed to promote, support and protect the breastfeeding practices, where in Brunei Darussalam it has been successfully celebrated every year since 1999 with the Ministry of Health (MoH) as the main managing agency.
This was highlighted by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar in his welcoming speech during the launching of the World Breastfeeding Week 2018 at the ministry’s Al-‘Afiah Hall yesterday.
“Breastfeeding practices play an important role in aiding the country in achieving universal goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030,” said the minister. “The goal of the SDGs is to address the root cause of poverty and offer developmental insights that can be applied by all levels of the people and population.”
This year’s theme ‘Breastfeeding Foundation of Life’, said the minister, emphasises on how breastfeeding practices can improve and strengthen the level of health, prosperity and existence of women and children all over the world.
“Breastfeeding practices have three important roles in achieving the goals of the SDGs. The first one is to prevent malnutrition (that is, deficiency or excess nutrients) in various shapes. The second is that breastfeeding practices guarantee the availability of food (food security) even in times of disaster. The third is that breastfeeding practices are able to decide on the cycle of poverty.”
The minister added that breastfeeding practices is a universal solution for issues related to malnutrition, food security and poverty which contribute towards the achievement of the SDGs.
The minister also said that breastfeeding is not a new thing, even in Islam in the past 1,439 years has demanded on the importance and usefulness of breastfeeding for children as read in Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 233; Surah Luqman, Verse 14; Surah Al-Ahqaf, Verse 15; and Surah Al-Qasas, Verse 7 in Al-Quran.
In any situation, the minister added, breastfeeding practices is the best natural method in nutritious feeding of children and babies, as well as stimulating increased level of intelligence in children besides fostering love between mother and child.
Mother’s breastmilk is a very unique and perfect nutrition to meet the nutritional needs of children and protect their immune system.
In aspects of the mother’s health, meanwhile, the minister highlighted that there has been solid proof that breastfeeding practices can naturally space pregnancy, reduce the risk of breast cancer prior to menopause as well as ovarian cancer, on top of reducing the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, including stronger bones.
He also highlighted His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s New Year’s Eve titah in 2011 on the review on the Maternity Leave Rules as a measure of need and importance of health and well-being for mothers before and after giving birth, with the Enforcement of Maternity Leave Rules 2011 starting on January 1, 2011 which has been extended to 105 days of maternity leave for all female officers and staff under the Public Service as well as for mothers in the private sector.
In relation to this, the minister explained that the Enforcement of Maternity Leave Rules 2011 has successfully motivated working mothers to administer optimum breastfeeding exclusively for longer, which has been found to increase from 23 per cent in 2010 to 33 per cent in 2012 and 37 per cent in 2013, where the positive increase can also be seen within mothers in the private sector.
Meanwhile, through the various efforts in promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding practices, a positive achievement can be seen through breastfeeding rates from when a child is born up until six months has increased significantly from 27 per cent in 2009 to 43 per cent in 2015. “If this integrated effort is strengthened and continued, Brunei will be able to achieve the target set forth by the World Health Organization (WHO), with at least 50 per cent in exclusive breastfeeding rates by 2025,” said the minister.
The minister also called on all stakeholders to cooperate, support one another and be committed, not only from the government, but also from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the private sector including employers and professional bodies and business managers and owners, to make breastfeeding room facilities available in public and work places to facilitate mothers to continue breastfeeding practices for up to two years.
He said the recommendations are also based on studies conducted outside the country which have clearly shown that among the factors that can encourage and strengthen the rate of starting breastfeeding and longer durations of breastfeeding is availability and support, as well as facilities provided at the workplace for mothers who need it and for them to continue breastfeeding.