Lagos asks employers to support breastfeeding

The Lagos State Government has urged employers in the state to encourage working mothers to properly breastfeed their children.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Modele Osunkiyesi, said this in a statement to mark the commencement of the 2015 World Breastfeeding Week, noting that breastfeeding should not cause discrimination and job insecurity.

Osunkiyesi said the promotion and success of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life needed the collective support of employers of labour, community and religious leaders, among others.

She said, “Time, space and support are the three elements needed to ensure successful breastfeeding by women in work setting.”

She advocated six months paid maternity leave to support exclusive breastfeeding or reduction of working hours for working mothers to ensure uninterrupted breastfeeding for those whose offices could not afford to give them six months.

“In those places, there should be a provision of designated environment-friendly spaces near the work places for child feeding,” Osunkiyesi added.

She explained that breastfeeding was the most cost-beneficial investment in child survival and development, which was why the government encouraged it.

She said, “The Lagos State Government has taken the lead in the actualisation of baby friendly policies for women in its workforce by institutionalising a six-month maternity leave for all nursing female workers for their first two births.

“Also, the state government also approved paternity leave of two weeks for all fathers in its employ in realisation of the need for psychological support for nursing mothers.”

She stated that the theme for 2015 World Breastfeeding Week Celebration – “Breastfeeding and Work: Let’s Make It Work” – called for global action to support women to combine breastfeeding and work.

Osunkiyesi noted that women’s engagement in jobs outside their homes had contributed to the reduction in the length of breastfeeding of children, saying breastfeeding culture needed to be revived.