BY JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
The Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) has urged families, faith leaders, traditional institutions and government stakeholders to strengthen support for exclusive breastfeeding, describing it as a critical step towards improving maternal and child health outcomes.
The organisation made the call in Kaduna as it joined the global community to commemorate the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week through its Women Department under the Faith and Cultural Champions (FCC) Project.
In a statement signed by the Head of the Women Department, Fadila Bukar, IMC described breastfeeding as one of the most effective, accessible and affordable interventions for improving maternal, newborn and child health.
According to the organisation, exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life provides infants with the essential nutrients and antibodies needed for healthy growth and development, protects them against infections and malnutrition, and significantly reduces infant and child mortality. It added that breastfeeding also promotes maternal recovery after childbirth and lowers the risk of certain health conditions.
Speaking on the significance of this year’s commemoration, IMC Co-Executive Director, Malam Hayatu Ashafa, said improving maternal and child health requires sustained commitment from families, communities and institutions.
“Breastfeeding is not only a health issue; it is a family and community responsibility. Husbands, religious leaders, traditional institutions, health workers and community members all have important roles to play in creating an enabling environment where mothers receive the encouragement, support and resources needed to exclusively breastfeed their babies.
“Through the FCC Project, IMC continues to promote positive social norms that encourage antenatal care, skilled facility delivery, childbirth spacing and spousal communication as pathways to healthier families,” Ashafa said.
The statement noted that through the FCC Project, implemented in selected communities across Kaduna State, the organisation continues to leverage faith and cultural platforms to promote positive behavioural change in maternal, newborn and child health.
It explained that religious and traditional leaders have been mobilised to integrate key health messages into sermons, community dialogues, women’s gatherings and youth engagements, while trained community champions are conducting grassroots sensitisation to reinforce awareness and encourage healthy family practices.
IMC further stated that exclusive breastfeeding is closely linked to other maternal and child health interventions promoted under the FCC Project, including regular antenatal care, birth preparedness, skilled facility delivery, childbirth spacing and effective spousal communication, all of which contribute to healthier pregnancies, safer deliveries, improved child survival and stronger families.
The organisation called on mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life and continue breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding as recommended by health professionals.
It also urged husbands and other family members to provide emotional, financial and practical support to breastfeeding mothers, while encouraging religious and traditional leaders to continue using their trusted platforms to promote positive maternal and child health practices and dispel harmful myths and misconceptions.
IMC further appealed to health workers to provide quality, respectful and mother-friendly healthcare services that encourage breastfeeding, and called on government institutions and development partners to strengthen investments in policies, programmes and community-based initiatives that promote breastfeeding, maternal health services and public awareness.
The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with communities, faith institutions, traditional leaders, government agencies, media organisations and development partners to improve maternal and child health outcomes across Kaduna State through inclusive, faith-sensitive and community-driven interventions.
