THE regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) in Northern Mindanao is aiming to strengthen the campaign on exclusive breastfeeding in the region following the decrease in the number of breastfed infants.
According to the 2016 annual report of DOH-Northern Mindanao, of the total 19,101 infant population in the city only 12,158 were exclusively breastfed by their mothers which means only 70.78 percent of infants were exclusively breastfed.
"We have actually experienced a considerable decrease in this statistic as we had a percentage of about 82 percent in 2015. So now, we have to work harder to gain more than that rate again," said Gilda Ajoc, Nurse V and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Program Coordinator.
The implementation of the Philippine Milk Code or the Executive Order 51 as the prime mover of this campaign is much needed according to Ajoc. This EO provides the policies that supports breastfeeding vis-a-vis the use of milk substitutes to feed infants younger than six months.
"As of today, breast milk substitutes are considered those products intended to feed infants and young children from birth to three years old. However, they are still covered by the law if its promotion undermines the practice of breastfeeding," said Telesfora Madelo, Nutritionist Dietician IV of DOH-Northern Mindanao.
Because of this, Ajoc said more programs and campaign that champion exclusive breastfeeding in the region are needed. This is especially in the emergence of disasters such as the Marawi City siege which displaced many mothers with infants from the comforts of their homes.
"We have to make them know that breastfeeding is the cheapest and the safest way to avoid hunger and poverty. If we can commercialize substitute milk then we should put more effort in advertising the milk that is most accessible to us," she said.