Female Journalists Storm Alausa

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Female journalists in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, have marched to Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, to drum support for exclusive breastfeeding of babies by mothers in the state.

The march was part of NAWOJ activities to mark this year’s World Breastfeeding Week which took place two weeks ago.

The journalists, under the aegis of National Association of Women Journalist, NAWOJ, Lagos State chapter, appealed to mothers to breastfeed their babies in the first six months of giving birth.

Chairperson, NAWOJ, Lagos chapter, Mrs. Dupe Olaoye-Oshinkolu, appealed to governments at all levels to give six months maternity leave to nursing mothers to enable them breastfeed their babies properly for six months.

She also urged them to establish crèches in government offices where nursing mothers could keep their babies and breastfeed them during office hours.

Chief Nutrition Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adams, said 1.5 million children could be saved if babies were breastfed in the first six months of delivery.

He said the march was to sensitise mothers to give proper attention to breastfeeding their babies exclusively in the first six months.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Raji, who addressed the women, said the state government had been championing the course of women for a long time.

On the request for six months maternity leave to enable women breastfeed their babies, he said he would pass the message across to Governor Babatunde Fashola, adding that he was sure that the governor would set up a committee to look into the issue.

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