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Lack of breastfeeding puts babies at higher risk of death

The global health community is marking World Breastfeeding Week
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An estimated 78 million babies are not breastfed within the first hour of life, putting them at higher risk of death.

This is the crux of a new United Nations report, as the global health community marks World Breastfeeding Week.

According to the report, “Capture the Moment”, most of the babies are born in low and middle-income countries.

Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life. It also protects against diarrhoea and common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, and may also have longer-term health benefits, such as reducing the risk of obesity in childhood.

Dr Adelheid Onyango is the World Health Organisation’s Adviser for Nutrition at the Regional Office for Africa.

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