Pix Caption: Prof. Kinikanwo Green
A mother breastfeeding her baby
By Omolara Akintoye
The Executive Secretary of Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, Prof Kinikanwo Green has said that breast feeding is safe, friendly and cost effective.
Prof Green made this assertion during the opening ceremony of a 5- day intensive training organized by the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board in collaboration with the Institute of Maternal and Child Health, University of Port Harcourt and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
Titled “Breastfeeding Counselling A Training Course” for Primary Health Care Workers at the Conference Hall of the Board in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He reiterated the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and its benefits to the child, parents and community at large.
“We know how difficult it is this period in terms of the economy and by the time you spend hard earned resources procuring cartons of infant breast milk substitute, you will see it really infringes on the family economy unlike the nutritious and readily available breast milk ” he said.
Prof Green also stated that the last time the training held was about 13 years ago and most trainees would have retired or travelled while most health workers lacked prerequisite training on breastfeeding.
According to Prof. Green, breastfeeding helps reduce prenatal mobility and maternal mortality rates and urged participants to remain focused on becoming breastfeeding advocates as knowledge gained will be utilized across the various L.G.A’s.
On her part, the Consultant Paediatrician, College of Health Sciences in the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Alice Nte commended the Executive Secretary of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board Prof Green for the synergy between the Board and the institution.
Prof. Nte said participants are expected to play a pivotal role in the dissemination of knowledge gained to the various L.G.As so as to increase the breastfeeding rate in the State which stands at 12% as against 50% benchmark that is expected to be achieved by 2025.
Prof. Nte insinuated that if strict compliance to breastfeeding guidelines are enforced, the former nutritional status and survival of children will increase.
She also intimated that the workshop patterns will include training, practicals, discussions and role plays and will be interactive in nature so as to make a difference in nutritional standards of children using nutritional best practices.
Provost of the College of Health Sciences UNIPORT, Prof Angela Frank- Briggs inferred the rate of increase in malnutrition related cases which includes marasmus, kwashiorkor and underweight malnutrition.
She maintained that exclusive breastfeeding should be encouraged in the first 6 months of life and should be continued with complimentary feeding until 3 years hinging its importance on the protection of the baby in all ramifications, prevention of cancer to the mother and urged all hands to be on deck to go to communities to practice what they have been taught.
“The training is timely as prices of complimentary foods have soared as a result of the economic situation in the Country as not all families can afford it” she reiterated.
In his goodwill message, Dr. Leton Ebere a Consultant at Clinton Health Access Initiative ( CHAI) who represented the Country Director lauded the visionary style of leadership of Prof Green describing it as exceptional which continues to impact and deliver good services to the people.
Dr Ebere also disclosed that while conversations about breastfeeding are ongoing, the Human Papilloma Virus(HPV) vaccines should also be included alongside as beginning of next year, the vaccines would no longer be free to girls aged between 9-14 years of age urging them to utilize the 3 months period of grace before it elapses.
Director Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) Dr Dede Siyeofori in his vote of thanks eulogized Prof Green for his support in ensuring the organization of the Seminar and admonished participants to embrace the training to be able to impact knowledge gained.
Highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the upgraded 10 steps to successful breastfeeding banner donated by the Executive Secretary of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board Prof Kinikanwo Green to all the 345 Health Centres across the 23 L.G.A’s in the State.
