Under Republic Act 10028 or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, August 2021 is declared as National Breastfeeding Awareness Month with the theme “Tulong-Tulong sa Pagpapasuso sa First 1,000 Days!” This year’s campaign aims to raise awareness on the importance of breastfeeding and further its promotion as a highly beneficial public health intervention for mothers and children.
The celebration commemorates 10 years of the Breastfeeding TSEK! (Tama, Sapat, at Ekslusibo) Campaign. It is essential that mothers should be knowledgeable of the benefits of breast milk as a complete food for children 0 to 6 months, and continued with complementary feeding with safe, nutritious, adequate, and diverse food from 6 months onwards as the most ideal intervention to eradicate malnutrition, especially stunting.
It also highlights the importance of collaboration, with focus on empowerment of governments, communities, and community-based mother support groups who advocate breastfeeding and safe, sustainable Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices among their peers, social groups, local communities, and even their local governments. Aside from government efforts, supportive advocacy interventions from communities that ensure access to health and nutrition information are in place, so as public health efforts on communicating adequate and sustainable feeding practices are not diminished or undermined.
National Nutrition Council XII continues to encourage everyone to engage in all advocacy activities for breastfeeding. Further, NNC scheduled various activities in support of the national breastfeeding awareness month which includes, hanging of streamers, posting of infographics, Nutrition E-School, Nutri-Flex, Nutri-Talk on Tiktok, Breastfeeding Photo Contest and E-Quiz (Breastfeeding Awareness Month). Full guidelines of the said contests/activities will be posted this week via the NNC Facebook page. NNC will also conduct Breastfeeding fora to discuss importance of breastfeeding and establishment of lactation station and/or breast milk storage. Thru this activities NNC hopes to challenge and inspire LGUs to protect and promote breastfeeding. (NOILaurito/OIC-NPCFlores)
