WHO warns against the harmful marketing of breast milk substitutes
WHO encourages moms to continue breastfeeding in this pandemic, even if they have tested positive for Covid-19.
iStock
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.”
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
For more news your way
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
