The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has appealed to the Bauchi State Government to implement a policy granting six months maternity leave for nursing mothers in paid employment.
The agency said this would help mothers focus on exclusive breastfeeding, which is crucial for a baby’s healthy growth.
UNICEF’s Bauchi Chief of Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, made the call during a media briefing in her office to mark the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week.
Raising concerns over the high number of malnourished children in Bauchi, she said tackling the problem must begin with exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life.
According to her, to prevent malnutrition mothers must start breastfeeding early, continue it along with complementary feeding up to 24 months, and receive support from family and the community to breastfeed properly.
“We have a serious nutrition crisis in Bauchi. Half of the children are malnourished, and many suffer from long-term effects like stunting due to poor feeding,” she said.
“There are so many children in Bauchi, but the nutrition level is very poor. Breastfeeding is a key step in ensuring their survival and growth.”
She promoted what she called the “1-6-24 formula” — breastfeeding should start within the first hour after birth to give babies protective antibodies, continue exclusively for six months, then be combined with proper feeding until 24 months. “Every mother, grandmother, and community member needs to know this,” she said.
Ekwutosblog reports that the theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is ‘System Support for the Woman’.
Rafique reiterated that unless women are fully supported by their families, health workers, and government systems, it’s difficult for them to do what’s right for their babies.
She said that with skilled birth attendants and trained health workers, more mothers would be able to start breastfeeding immediately after delivery and continue with it properly.
In her remarks, UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Philomina Irene, backed the call for six months paid maternity leave, saying it would ease the burden on working mothers. She revealed that only two out of every ten babies in Bauchi are exclusively breastfed — far below global recommendations.
She urged journalists to help raise awareness about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and called for more breastfeeding-friendly workplaces and public institutions.
Also speaking, the State Nutrition Officer, Alhaji Abubakar Sale Sabo Bara, said the government remains committed to improving breastfeeding practices through behavior change campaigns.
He said the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board is reaching out to parents, religious leaders, and traditional rulers to help spread the message.
He emphasised that improving children’s nutrition is a top priority for the state pledging continued efforts to raise awareness and support healthy feeding practices across Bauchi.
