To encourage exclusive breastfeeding, stakeholders at a health forum have suggested creating a breast milk bank at medical facilities. If the program is put into action, it will support the promotion of breastfeeding advocacy among nursing mothers for a six-month period solely. This will also help nursing moms who are unable to exclusively breastfeed their children for the necessary amount of time due to health issues or other reasons.
Prof. Akua Plange-Rhule, a professor at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Medical Sciences, made this statement at the first-ever lactation conference for medical professionals, which was hosted by the HopeXchange Medical Center in Kumasi. The health professionals attended a three-day conference where they learned about the latest studies on the benefits of breastfeeding as well as the anatomy and physiology of breast milk and breastfeeding.
Professor Plange-Rhule provided more context for the breast milk bank effort by stating that exclusive breastfeeding is crucial for nursing moms and that policies supporting and advancing this campaign are required. Professor Plange-Rhule explained that the breast milk bank would function similarly to a blood bank, where customers might go in and buy blood to save a relative.
“There are conversations, studies, and research works going on, on the best way to operate and lot of things have to be put in place to make sure of the acceptability,” she continued, mentioning the Paediatric Society of Ghana and other health authorities that were interested in the effort. In order to support and encourage exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers, she urged for increased government funding as well as increased stakeholder participation.
According to Prof. Plange-Rhule, a few African nations, including South Africa, were running the breast milk bank scheme. She thought that Ghana may also adopt the approach.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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