ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 10, 2012) – Bearing the theme “Protect Breastfeeding! (Understanding the past, Planning the future),” the Department of Health and the City Health Office of Zamboanga joined the celebration of the Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
The celebration promotes breast feeding and counseling to mothers by health workers at the City Health Office and different villages. Health officials encouraged bottle-feeding mothers to join the seminars to enlighten them on how essential is breastfeeding for their child.
The City Heath Office also provided lactation rooms for mothers.
These counseling will also be conducted in the Ward 1 of the Zamboanga City General Hospital where new mothers are located. Aside from those activities, health officers will also visit various radio stations to promote the Importance of breast feeding and its health benefits to infants.
Breastfeeding is the natural and recommended way of feeding all infants, even when artificial feeding is affordable, clean water is available, and good hygienic conditions for preparing and feeding infant formula exist, according to City Health Officer Dr. Rodelyn Agbulos.
He said babies who are breastfed are generally healthier and achieve optimal growth and development compared to those who are fed formula milk. If the vast majority of babies were exclusively fed breast milk in their first six months of life – meaning only breast milk and no other liquids or solids, not even water – it is estimated that the lives of at least 1.2 million children would be saved every year.
The Department of Health – Center for Health and Development and the City Health Office of Zamboanga encouraged every mother, young and old and first timers to start and continue on breastfeeding their child instead on switching to formula milk. They also pointed out that breast milk is still the number one source of primary nutrients for infants and children below 2 years old alike.
Pamela Tarroza, regional head of the National Nutrition Council in Western Mindanao and Dr. Teogenes Baluma, regional director for the Center for Health Development and Councilwoman Lilia Nuño, among other officials joined the formal launching of the Breastfeeding Awareness Month. (Carlissa Horcerada)
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