Embu County Executive Committee Member for Health Zachary Mukundi has called on all parents in the county to ensure optimal breastfeeding for their babies.
Speaking at Riandu dispensary during a nutrition sensitization program, Mukundi said exclusive breastfeeding for six months has many benefits for the infant and mother that guarantees protection against gastrointestinal infections and reduces newborn mortality.
He said that the nutrition sensitization program which is in partnership with Save the Children, Anglican Development Services and Nutrition International organizations was necessitated by a gap in knowledge level in matters of food nutrition for mothers and children below 10 years.
Mukundi added that the county had experienced gaps in consumption of iron-folic supplements by pregnant women which was below 50 percent thus the need for a nutrition sensitization program.
He said the county has various initiatives on nutrition, routine health, and immunization, uptake of vitamin A supplements, deworming, health, and nutrition education and called on men to encourage their wives to breastfeed and observe good nutrition.
“Good nutrition is one of the best steps to ensure a mother and a child’s immune system remains strong and healthy,” said the CEC.
Josephine Njiru a Community Health Volunteer (CHV) at Riandu unit said that she has been going to villages educating expectant women to start attending antenatal clinics immediately they conceive and make sure that they observe the daily iron and folic acid supplementation.
Edith Wagere, a mother to three children said she was initially reluctant to attend antenatal clinics out of ignorance, but after sensitization by Community Health Volunteers, she started attending the clinics consistently.
Francis Gichovi a CHV in Riandu said he has been in the frontline teaching men on the need for nutrition and walking the pregnancy journey with their wives and the efforts have yielded fruits.
By Justus Anzaya
