Children’s health remains a priority: Usamate

Minister for Health, Jone Usamate is urging for all infants to be breastfed at all times.

This is following the current emergency situation our country is in.

Yesterday, the Mr Usamate signed a memorandum of understanding with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) calling  for support for appropriate infant and young child feeding in Fiji.

Mr Usamate said our children’s health remains a priority.

“Mothers should continue breastfeeding their babies in this time of crisis. Infant formula and other powdered milk products could result in infections due to unsafe water supply and sanitation.”

He stressed that appropriate feeding of infants is essential to preventing malnutrition, morbidity and death.

The Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF are strongly urging everyone who is involved in funding, planning and implementing the emergency response in our country to avoid unnecessary illness and death by promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding and by preventing uncontrolled distribution and use of breast-milk substitutes.

Edited by Paula Tuvuki

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