Ulaanbaatar
Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. It is a matter of concern that the breastfeeding rate in Mongolia is declining year by year. In Mongolia, the early initiation of breastfeeding is 70 percent, while only 50 percent of all children are exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Furthermore, only 46 percent of children aged up to 2 are breastfed.
Breastfeeding provides the children with the healthy start in life. Breast milk not only supports the development of the baby's brain, but also provides the first immunization against various diseases and even mortality. It contains many factors that is required to protect the baby from bacterial and viral infections, such as secretory immunoglobulins, white blood cells, whey protein, and oligosaccharides. It also has the health, nutritional and emotional benefits to both mothers and children.
Moreover, breastfeeding prevents mortality from pneumonia and diarrhea in young children around the world. In addition to aforementioned benefits, it can also prevent maternal mortality from cancer and diabetes. Analysis indicates that increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding could save the lives of 820,000 children and prevent 20,000 mortality cases of breast cancer every year, generating USD 302 billion in additional income.
World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is celebrated every first week of August in more than 170 countries around the world including Mongolia. This year, WBW is being celebrated under the theme “Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet”.
On the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week, the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, the National Center for Public Health of Mongolia, and the United Nations Children's Fund are calling for people to support breastfeeding for healthy mothers and children.
