{"id":249342,"date":"2025-09-10T06:25:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T10:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=249342"},"modified":"2025-09-09T18:28:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T22:28:31","slug":"who-unicef-and-paho-call-for-urgent-investment-in-breastfeeding-support-during-world-breastfeeding-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/who-unicef-and-paho-call-for-urgent-investment-in-breastfeeding-support-during-world-breastfeeding-week\/","title":{"rendered":"WHO, UNICEF and PAHO Call for Urgent Investment in Breastfeeding Support During World Breastfeeding Week"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

On World Breastfeeding Week, countries urged to invest in health systems and support breastfeeding mothers<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

 (PAHO\/WHO)\u2013<\/strong> As World Breastfeeding Week<\/a> unfolds under the theme \u201cPrioritize breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems,\u201d the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are calling on governments and health systems worldwide to invest in breastfeeding support to improve infant health and development. In the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) echoes this call, highlighting regional efforts to boost breastfeeding rates and protect mothers from commercial pressures.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In a joint statement issued on 4 August 2025, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized that breastfeeding is a baby\u2019s first defense against diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia, acting as their \u201cfirst vaccine.\u201d Yet, only 48% of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed globally, far from the 60% target set by the World Health Assembly for 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement points to gaps in health systems as a key barrier. Only one in five countries trains doctors and nurses in infant feeding, leaving many mothers without proper guidance after childbirth. Under-resourced and fragmented health systems often fail to provide consistent breastfeeding support, despite its proven benefits: every dollar invested in breastfeeding yields US$35 in economic returns.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Breastfeeding in the Americas: Progress and challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Drawing from data published in 2024, PAHO reports that in Latin America and the Caribbean, 52% of newborns are breastfed within the first hour of birth, and 43% of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed. However, these rates drop to 37% across the broader Americas region and 27% in North America.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Only 19 of the 35 countries and territories in the region have adopted legal measures to partially or fully implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which protects breastfeeding from commercial influences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To address these challenges, PAHO is supporting countries through initiatives like the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, which creates supportive environments for breastfeeding in healthcare facilities. The organization also aids in monitoring compliance with the Code and developing national policies to promote optimal infant feeding, aligning with WHO and UNICEF\u2019s Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding<\/a> and PAHO\u2019s efforts to prevent childhood obesity<\/a>.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The WHO and UNICEF statement calls for action to strengthen health systems by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n