Breastfeeding: JSPHDA in conversation with higher authorities to increase maternity leave
From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa State Primary Health Development Agency (JSPHDA) confirmed it’s conversation with higher concern authorities on the possibility to increase maternity leave for lactating mothers from three months to six months.
This was announced by the permanent secretary, Jigawa state primary healthcare development agency Dr Kabir Ibrahim, while briefing news men as part of continuation of world breastfeeding week celebration in the state with a theme ‘let exclusive breastfeeding work while at work’.
He explained that, as part of effort to promote exclusive breastfeeding, the agency formed a team with aims to work on challenges bedeviling the practices of exclusive breastfeeding in the state.
Dr Kabir who urged parents particularly mothers to support the moves said, the idea of extension maternity leave from three to six months, is to give mothers more chances and time to breastfeed their babies.
According to him, the importance of exclusive breastfeeding can never be emphasize, as it help both the babies, mothers, fathers and even community at large.
He identified some of the benefit of exclusive breastfeeding as build of strong immunes to the babies and as strong protection against child killer diseases.while for mother’s it help them against breast cancer, save their times among many other benefits.
While to the fathers, exclusive breastfeeding help them to improve their economy by making the baby more brilliant to contribute to the development of the family and community.
It can be recall that, during the flag-off of the ceremony, the wife of Jigawa governor Hajiya Hadiza Umar Namadi appealed for the extension of maternity leave from three to six months in the state.
