The Technical Advisor, Policy and Advocacy, Alive, Thrive, Toyin Adewale-Gabriel, says if ninety per cent of mothers can practice exclusively breastfeeding, not less than thirteen per cent of infant mortality can be prevented.
Adewale-Gabriel said this at the forum on “Media Coverage of the 2019 General Elections” organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Abuja.
She said that fifty two per cent of all the diseases affecting children in Nigeria were caused by malnutrition.
Adewale-Gabriel said that apart from the fact that children who enjoyed exclusive breastfeeding were smarter than others who did not have it, there were also some economic benefits of breastfeeding.
She urged the media to sensitise Nigerians on the need for women to practice adequate breastfeeding of their babies and also patronise hospital facilities during childbirth.
