The World Breastfeeding Week 2015 has been launched in Uasin Gishu on Wednesday at the Riley Mother and Baby Hospital. The week themed 'Breastfeeding and work lets make it work' was officially launched by the acting Assistant Director Clinic Services at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Francis Ogalo.
The event is aimed at sensitizing women to breastfeed their children for at least 1000 days or 2 years continuously without stop. The week is also meant to sensitize employers to give enough time for breastfeeding their children and breaks in between work to breastfeed their children. Speaking during the launch, HOD Nutrition MTRH, Madam Monica Sitienei said that according to the WHO standards, women are supposed to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months without any other supplementary foods and at least 2 years continously.
“Breast milk is important for a childs development. It is responsible for less infections in the future life of the child. We should not stop breastfeeding just because we are working." Sitienei said.
Traffic in Eldoret halted for several hours as group rallied around the town passing their message across. The breastfeeding week will run until the end of the week.