WHO warns against the harmful marketing of breast milk substitutes

According to a World Health Organisations (WHO) report, a lot of countries have legislation in place that prohibits manufacturers of baby formula to market their products. This is to avoid the misinformation that feeding children formula is safer than giving them breastmilk.

South Africa put this stipulation in place since late 2012.

Also read: Can you fall pregnant while breastfeeding?

Dr. Francesco Branca, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety advocates for this legislation. If breastmilk substitutes are advertised by healthcare professionals that mothers trust, this “creates a major barrier to improving newborn and child health worldwide”.

According to the WHO, “the numerous benefits of breastfeeding substantially outweigh the potential risks of illness associated with the virus. It is not safer to give infant formula milk.”

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