Dr Sagoe-Moses calls for policies to protect breastfeeding mothers
Former Deputy Director of the Family Health Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Isabella Sagoe-Moses, has called for policies and measures to protect and support breastfeeding mothers.
She stressed that raising awareness about breastfeeding alone was not enough, urging the government and other stakeholders to create an enabling environment for nursing mothers.
“We must recognise that awareness without action is not enough. We need healthcare facilities that provide appropriate lactation support, workplaces that enable mothers to continue breastfeeding and communities that understand their responsibility to support mothers,” she said.
Dr Sagoe-Moses said breastfeeding should not only be encouraged but actively protected, supported and celebrated.
She made the call while delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of a three-day Lactation Conference organised by hopeXchange Medical Centre in Kumasi in collaboration with the Paediatric Society of Ghana.
The conference, held on the theme, “Breastfeeding for a sustainable start in life: Strength that works,” brought together health professionals, lactation consultants, expectant and nursing mothers, policymakers, community members and other stakeholders.
The conference sought to highlight evidence-based strategies for promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding, while sharing innovative models of breastfeeding support at community and healthcare facility levels.
It also aimed to foster partnerships among healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers and civil society organisations to strengthen breastfeeding support systems.
Dr Sagoe-Moses said breastfeeding should be viewed as more than simply a method of feeding infants, describing it as an investment in child survival, growth and development, maternal health, family wellbeing and the future of the nation.
By Esther Padmore Amonoo
