Nigeria Loses N6.6 trillion Yearly Due to Insufficient Breastfeeding
According to Philomena Irene,a UNICEF nutrition specialist,the level of exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria is 23.7 percent far less than the global target of 50 percent.This situation has enormous effects in terms of human life,quality of life,and national economic outcomes.
In addition,she said that the cost of low cognitive development, low intelligence quotient (IQ), as well as health cost, inadequate breastfeeding is estimated to cost the Nigerian economy US$21 billion (N6.6 Trillion) per year, or 4.1 per cent of its gross national income.
Breastfeeding benefits not only individual children and families, but also the entire economy. The World Bank’s new investment framework for nutrition notes that every dollar invested in promoting breastfeeding can generate a return of $35 in economic returns.
She revealed that inadequate breastfeeding causes over 10 million avoidable cases of childhood diarrhoea and pneumonia and leads to more than 100,000 avoidable child death which translate into almost N18 billion in future economic losses for the country respectively for the cost of treatment and of breastfeeding substitute.
Ms Irene also said that breast milk helps to prevent pneumonia and diarrhoea, two of the leading causes of death for children under five. Babies who are breastfed are 14 times less likely to die than those who are not fed breast milk. She emphasized on the need for parents and guardians to ensure six months exclusive breastfeeding as it contains all the nutrients a baby needs for the first six months of life combined with the fact that it is the first immunisation and best protection a baby has against diseases.
In addition,she said that the cost of low cognitive development, low intelligence quotient (IQ), as well as health cost, inadequate breastfeeding is estimated to cost the Nigerian economy US$21 billion (N6.6 Trillion) per year, or 4.1 per cent of its gross national income.
Breastfeeding benefits not only individual children and families, but also the entire economy. The World Bank’s new investment framework for nutrition notes that every dollar invested in promoting breastfeeding can generate a return of $35 in economic returns.
She revealed that inadequate breastfeeding causes over 10 million avoidable cases of childhood diarrhoea and pneumonia and leads to more than 100,000 avoidable child death which translate into almost N18 billion in future economic losses for the country respectively for the cost of treatment and of breastfeeding substitute.
Ms Irene also said that breast milk helps to prevent pneumonia and diarrhoea, two of the leading causes of death for children under five. Babies who are breastfed are 14 times less likely to die than those who are not fed breast milk. She emphasized on the need for parents and guardians to ensure six months exclusive breastfeeding as it contains all the nutrients a baby needs for the first six months of life combined with the fact that it is the first immunisation and best protection a baby has against diseases.
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