Number of malnourished children in Baghlan decreased by 14%

BAGHLAN, Aug. 11 – World Breastfeeding Week is being celebrated in Baghlan as health experts in the province believe that although breastfeeding is improving, many mothers are still not breastfeeding their babies.

Masood Ahmadi, the head of public health of the province, says that it is important for babies to consume mother milk in the first six months and it can act as a vaccine for babies.

Ahmadi added that the number of malnourished children in Baghlan province has decreased by 14 percent compared to the first quarter of last year.

Two women named Raqia and Zainab say that the reason for the increase in diseases in children is not feeding adequate amount of mother’s milk, however, they believe that children can be protected from diseases by feeding mother’s milk. Children’s immunity increases but there is lack of proper knowledge among mothers about this as many mothers refuse to breastfeed their babies.

The World Health Organization recommends that mothers breastfeed their babies for at least two years. In the first six months they should be given no food except mother’s milk, but in the seventh and eighth months again fruit and other cereals can be given once or twice with breast milk.