‘Find out why mothers don’t breastfeed their babies’
SIBU: Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah has suggested that a study be carried out to identify issues faced by mothers in exclusively breastfeeding their infants for the first six months.
She proposed for her ministry and Health Department do a joint study on the matter and share their findings so that measures could be taken to encourage mothers to feed their babies exclusively with breast milk for the first six months after birth.
She said this is to meet the national target of 58 per cent of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their babies in the first six months.
Nevertheless, she noted that as at June this year, the percentage of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their babies for six months in Sarawak rose to 36.6 per cent from just 14 per cent in 2013. “There is a progress in terms of the efforts that have been made. We cannot view our progress alone but what we have done in order to achieve our target (of 58 per cent).
“The 58 per cent target has yet to be achieved. We only achieved 36.6 per cent and so, we have to look at our areas of weaknesses and where we need to work on so that we can achieve the target,” Fatimah told reporters after officiating at World Breastfeeding Week 2017 and Public Latch 2017 at Giant Hypermarket here yesterday.
The research, the minister suggested, could look into the issues faced by mothers such as whether there are still people who feel that breastfeeding is not a modern practice, whether there is lack of support group system, or work or career issues, home environment, support
There is a progress in terms of the efforts that have been made. We cannot view our progress alone but what we have done in order to achieve our target (of 58 per cent). Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development
from husbands, maternity leave duration and/or it is because of successful programmes by producers of baby formula in promoting their products and changing the mindset of mothers and fathers.
She suggested that the research be conducted here because the local support group is very consistent and very aggressive on this matter.
“We can do it in Sibu because it is a very active group. I have seen it develop from a small group to bigger numbers joining the awareness campaign,” she said.
“We will try to get some funds for this study and based on the findings later, we will come up with programmes to address the issues such as whether it is about policy, awareness, support system that is not there, campaign on the other side that is more aggressive or more successful.
“We want to do this study because we at the ministry share the fact that mother’s milk is the best milk for the baby, not other varieties. Mother’s milk can reduce malnutrition and risks of obesity and enhance (the child’s) IQ.”
Fatimah also said there is a need to target the men, as fathers and heads of families, to play a pivotal role in getting mothers to exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months.
Earlier in her speech, Fatimah said this was the first time the programme was organised by the Sibu Breastfeeding Support Group after six years being rolled out here, with the support of Sibu Hospital, Sibu Health Office and SEGi University.
Organising chairwoman Faith Ngu also spoke at the function.
Among those present were Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee, Sibu Hospital director Dr Ngian Hie Ung and Sibu Hospital paediatrician Dr Toh Teck Hock.