Jigawa Moves to Boost Six-Month Exclusive Breastfeeding

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The Jigawa State Government, through the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JSPHCDA), has joined the global celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, urging greater support for six months of exclusive breastfeeding.

Speaking at an event held at Kachi PHC, the First Lady of Jigawa State, Hajiya Khadija Umar Namadi represented by Hajiya Aisha Aminu Usman, wife of the Deputy Governor called on the public, especially men, to support nursing mothers.

She appealed to government agencies and private organizations to establish and equip breastfeeding rooms in workplaces to enable mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding.

“As a woman, a mother, and your First Lady, I know the joys and struggles of caring for a newborn,” she said. “Breastfeeding is not just nourishment; it is life, protection, and love.”

Describing breastfeeding as the child’s first vaccine, she noted its role in reducing malnutrition, infections, and maternal diseases.

She highlighted challenges such as limited awareness, inadequate workplace support, harmful cultural beliefs, and poverty, which often force mothers to choose between work and childcare.

Hajiya Usman stressed the need for safe, well-staffed crèches and breastfeeding rooms in all workplaces, adding: “Providing breastfeeding rooms should be a policy priority, not a privilege.”

She urged ministries, agencies, private employers, and community leaders to commit to promoting breastfeeding, saying it is “an investment in a healthier and more prosperous future.”

The State Nutrition Officer, Mr. Muhammad Abdullahi, described exclusive breastfeeding as the most effective and affordable form of infant nutrition, yet noted that only 29–30% of mothers in Jigawa practice it, according to the 2023 NDHS.

He called on fathers, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to champion its benefits for children’s mental and physical development.