Forty percent of newborns are not breastfed within the first hour, says health experts

Health experts have said over 40 percent of newborns are not breastfed within the recommended first hour after birth.[File, Standard]

Health experts have said over 40 percent of newborns are not breastfed within the recommended first hour after birth.

Health experts have said over 40 percent of newborns are not breastfed within the recommended first hour after birth.

The report indicates that owing to the denial of breastfeeding, the percentage of mothers turning to exclusive bottle feeding has been on the rise.

Dr. Nobert Abuya, speaking at Kigumo sub-county hospital in Murang’a during the World Breastfeeding Week, said 60 percent of newborns are breastfed within the first hour of birth, calling for concentrated efforts to attain 100 percent.

According to the data, nationally 89 percent of births are administered by skilled health personnel, but coincidentally only 60 percent of newborns are breastfed within the first hour as recommended by the health promoters.

He explained that the stakeholders have a duty to promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and breastfeeding in their meetings with the community.

 “Although there has been significant improvement in neonatal care and a significant decrease in infant mortality over the years, there is still a need for more support in order not to leave any child behind,” said Abuya, an official from the Ministry of Health.

 In Murang’a, health Chief Officer Eliud Maina said they have been working hand in hand with the health promoters in the villages to ensure all the  lactating mothers are visited.

“The visits are also meant to ensure the mothers and their newborns are healthy and if there are issues they are attended to immediately without delay,” said Maina.

UNICEF official Dominic Stolaraw lauded the milestones made in Kenya to ensure all newborns are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.

“Kenya has made the best effort to promote exclusive breastfeeding at 60 percent, while globally we are at  50 percent,” said Dominic, a chief of operations official at UNICEF.

Rebecah Muiruri called for structured support to ensure working mothers are allowed to breastfeed their young at the end of maternity leave, as some of the workplaces lack decent breastfeeding rooms.

“ The government needs to lower taxes on breastfeeding gadgets to allow working mothers to have access to them,” said Muiruri, a practising journalist.