Baby Friendly Community Initiatives (BFCI) in Nakuru County have been commended for the crucial role they play in promoting maternal and child health. These initiatives focus on creating supportive environments for breastfeeding and improving infant nutrition and overall health outcomes.
The County Director for Health Dr. Joy Mugambi said the BFCI programs have contributed a lot to improved infant nutrition and health because the programs emphasize the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, which provides essential nutrients and antibodies that protect infants from infection and diseases.
Speaking today during another successful Baby Friendly gathering at Subukia-Sub County, she highlighted the county’s dedication to maternal nutrition, breastfeeding, and complementary feeding. The BFCI gatherings are held monthly to empower the community to advocate for maternal and child health.
Commending the Subukia-Sub-County for being the leading in BFCI, she stated that by promoting breastfeeding and proper infant care practices, the community initiative has the capacity of reducing the rates of infant mortality, which is often caused by malnutrition, diarrhea, and respiratory infections.
She noted that the initiatives provide education and support for mothers, helping them to understand the benefits of breastfeeding and how to overcome challenges, through the support of healthcare workers, peer counselors, and community groups.
Dr. Mugambi said community engagement and education involves the entire community in promoting and supporting breastfeeding. This includes educating fathers, grandparents, and other family members about the importance of breastfeeding and proper infant nutrition.
She emphasized that breastfeeding has benefits for mothers as well, including a reduced risk of certain cancers, faster postpartum recovery, and improved maternal-infant bonding.
Additionally, she noted that breastfeeding was cost-effective compared to formula feeding since it reduces healthcare costs by lowering the incidence of illnesses in both infants and mothers.
Apart from that she highlighted the role BFCI contributes to the achievements of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including those related to health (SDG 3) hunger (SDG 2), and gender equality (SDG 5).
Finally, she underscored the long-term benefits since children who are breastfed are more likely to have better cognitive development and educational outcomes, leading to improved long-term societal benefits, and enhanced future prospects.
By Veronica Bosibori
