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Monday, September 15, 2008 - 4.45 GMT |
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Success for Sri Lanka as the country
launches World Breastfeeding Week |
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Sri Lanka has achieved a 50% increase in the
number of mothers who exclusively breastfeed
their babies during the first six months of
life, UNICEF said yesterday as Sri Lanka
launched World Breastfeeding Week.
A range of Government health initiatives led
by the Ministry of Health and supported by
UNICEF, have seen the country's rate of
exclusive breastfeeding increase from 50% to
75% from 2000 to 2007. The result is fewer
infant deaths, and healthier babies.
In a developing country, a child who is
breastfed is almost three times more likely
to survive infancy than a child who is not
said UNICEF's Nutrition project officer, Dr
Renuka Jayatissa.
Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week in Sri
Lanka (15-19 September), UNICEF, along with
the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action
(WABA) and the World Health Organization
(WHO), is recommending the provision of
increased professional and informal support
for breastfeeding mothers.
The aim of World Breastfeeding Week is to
promote exclusive breastfeeding for the
first six months of life which yields
tremendous health benefits, providing
critical nutrients, protection from deadly
diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and
fostering growth and development. Continued
breast feeding after six months, for up to
two years of age or beyond, combined with
safe and appropriate complementary feeding,
is the optimal approach to child feeding.
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