WBW: UNICEF Urges Bauchi to Boost Skilled Birth Attendants, Approve Six- Months Maternity Leave

From Paul Orude, Bauchi

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the Bauchi State Government to intensify efforts in training and deploying more Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs) as a strategy to promote exclusive breastfeeding among mothers across the state.

Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF Field Office in Bauchi, made the appeal on Monday while briefing journalists as part of activities marking the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week, themed “System Support for the Woman.”

Rafique emphasized that although breastfeeding significantly improves child nutrition and survival, a staggering 50 percent of children in Bauchi still suffer from malnutrition.

“Half of the children are malnourished, and even more have experienced malnutrition in the past, leading to chronic stunting,” she said.

 “If there are skilled birth attendants, there are more chances that mothers will initiate breastfeeding within the first hour. Trained health providers can facilitate this crucial early start and support continued exclusive breastfeeding.”

She stressed the need for a comprehensive support system, including healthcare, family, and community structures, to enable women to breastfeed optimally.

“I am a mother, and you are mothers and fathers. We know the importance of family values. Until a woman is fully supported, it is very difficult for her to do the right thing. Social and cultural dynamics influence breastfeeding decisions, and community support is essential,” she added.

Rafique reiterated that every mother, grandmother, and community member should understand the optimal breastfeeding formula: exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by complementary feeding and continued breastfeeding up to 24 months.

She further appealed to the state government to approve six months of paid maternity leave for working mothers to enable them to breastfeed their babies exclusively.

The UNICEF Chief commended the chairmen of the 20 Local Government Areas for contributing N100 million to the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), and urged Governor Bala Mohammed to fulfill the state’s pledged N200 million contribution. UNICEF, she noted, has already matched the fund with an additional N300 million.

Also speaking, Nutrition Specialist, Philomena Irene, echoed the call for systemic support to help nursing mothers breastfeed exclusively and continuously up to 24 months.

“Even when women return to work after six months, they need private and conducive spaces to continue feeding their babies. Without such support, it becomes difficult for them to contribute both at home and in the workforce,” she noted.