Hospitals must support breastfeeding which saves lives - WHO, UNICEF

A UNICEF logo is pictured outside their offices in Geneva, Switzerland, January 30, 2017. (Reuters)

Babies, even those who are premature, underweight or sickly, should be exclusively breastfed, from the maternity ward and ideally, for two years, the U.N. agencies said on Wednesday.

Hospitals and health facilities must support mothers in breastfeeding right after delivery and not promote use of infant formula unless there is a medical reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.