Investing in Breastfeeding: A Critical Investment in Future Health

Strategic Insights -

Breastfeeding is the most effective way to ensure a baby's health, development, and survival in the earliest stages of life. Despite its numerous benefits, millions of mothers around the world do not receive timely and skilled support in breastfeeding, leading to a lack of investment in breastfeeding support. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) are calling on governments, health administrators, and partners to invest in high-quality breastfeeding support, highlighting that every dollar invested generates US$35 in economic returns.

Key Takeaways:

  • Only 48 per cent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed, well below the World Health Assembly target of 60 per cent by 2030.
  • Timely and skilled support in breastfeeding is not provided to millions of mothers around the world, leading to inadequate guidance on how to breastfeed and when to introduce complementary feeding.
  • A fifth of countries include infant and young child feeding training for doctors and nurses, leading to a lack of skilled support for breastfeeding.
  • Health systems in many countries are under-resourced, fragmented, or poorly equipped to deliver quality, consistent, evidence-based breastfeeding support.
  • Investment in breastfeeding support remains critically low, despite numerous economic and health benefits.
  • WHO and UNICEF are calling on governments, health administrators, and partners to invest in high-quality breastfeeding support through adequate investment in maternal and newborn care, increasing national budget allocations for breastfeeding programmes, and integrating breastfeeding counselling into routine maternal and child health services.
  • Strengthening community health systems to provide ongoing, accessible breastfeeding support to every new mother is essential, as well as protecting breastfeeding through the application of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

Statistics:

  • 48 per cent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed worldwide.
  • 60 per cent target for exclusive breastfeeding set by World Health Assembly by 2030.
  • 5 per cent of countries include infant and young child feeding training for doctors and nurses.
  • Every dollar invested in breastfeeding support generates US$35 in economic returns.
  • High-quality breastfeeding support is critical to ensure optimal health outcomes for babies.

Sources:

  • WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell's joint statement on breastfeeding.
  • World Health Assembly target of 60 per cent exclusive breastfeeding by 2030.
  • World Breastfeeding Week theme: "Prioritise breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems".
  • World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund Joint Statement.