Breastfeeding can prevent deaths of 37000 newborns

Starting of breastfeeding within hour of birth can possibly prevent death of some 37,000 newborns in Bangladesh, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque said Wednesday, reports UNB.

He was speaking at a function marking the World Breastfeeding Week-2010 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina was present there as the chief guest.

Referring to a report of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey-2007, Ruhal Haque said every year some 0.12 million newborns die in the country within 28 days of their birth and the breastfeeding within an hour of birth could possibly prevent death of some 37,000 newborns.

"The starting of breastfeeding babies within one hour of birth can save lives of some 1.20 million newborns in the world," he said referring to research reports of the Lancet, a globally renowned medical journal.

Describing breastfeeding to babies as the symbol of women's pleasure, capability and strength, the health minister said only breastfeeding ensures healthy mothers in line with babies' good health.

"So we've to strongly recognise the breastfeeding as the most important matter of the mothers," he said.