NAFDAC inaugurates breast-milk substitute committees

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)  says a Breast-milk Substitutes (BMS) State multi-sectoral technical committee has been inaugurated across 32  states of the nation.

A statement issued on Sunday by NAFDAC resident media consultant, Sayo Akintola, said the move was in line with the ongoing implementation of the National Strategy for the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (BMS) in Nigeria.

According to the statement, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, director-general NAFDAC, said the inauguration of the BMS state teams is a reflection of the agency’s renewed efforts to implement and enforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and the BMS Regulations.

Ms Adeyeye charged the inaugurated teams to lead the effort in their respective states and ensure full compliance with the provisions of the National BMS regulation and the International Code of Marketing of BMS.

She explained that the frameworks were crucial to protecting and promoting breastfeeding in Nigeria, a practice that played a significant role in improving the health and well-being of children and mothers.

“Breastfeeding is key to public health, foundational to infant and young child health and development, supports cognitive and psychosocial development, as well as protects against infectious and non-communicable diseases.

Mothers also experience health benefits from breastfeeding which include protection against breast cancers, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and weight regulation.

“Breastfeeding is species specific, evolutionary, and adaptive tailor-made immune protection which contains hormones and other bioactives that cannot be replicated in any substitute product,” she said.

The D-G said the undeniable benefits of breastfeeding necessitated the need for NAFDAC and other partners to come together to protect, promote and ensure the provisions of the International and national BMS regulations are effectively implemented, monitored, and enforced.

The NAFDAC boss, however, described as unacceptable and unsatisfactory the preliminary statistics from a national survey that indicated a retrogressive progression in the percentage of children that were breastfed within one hour of birth in Nigeria.

Ms Adeyeye noted that the result meant that every stakeholder at the national and subnational levels, should focus more on optimal breastfeeding to improve the nutritional wellbeing of infants and young children.

She urged each BMS state multi-sectoral technical committee to be committed, dedicated, diligent and proactive in the fulfilment of their mandate.

She commended the first batch of BMS state multi-sectoral T

Technical committees that had already been inaugurated in Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), noting that the addition of 32 states onboard will ensure comprehensive coverage across Nigeria the country.

Speaking also, Eva Edwards, director, food safety and applied nutrition, described the inauguration as vital in the ongoing implementation of the National Strategy for the Implementation of the Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes in Nigeria. 

“The inauguration of these 32 BMS State Multi-sectoral Technical Committees is a testament to our joint commitment, resolve, and resilience to the cause of improving our national nutrition situation for infants and young children.

“Stakeholders collective mission is to protect and promote optimal breastfeeding”.

Ms Edwards urged members of the committees to become champions for the cause of protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in their respective states and bring more champions on board.

According to the statement, the event was attended virtually by no fewer than 300 participants drawn from the federal ministry of health and social welfare, UNICEF, WHO, FHI360 Alive and Thrive, Save the Children and others.