DERA ISMAIL KHAN: An insightful seminar followed by an awareness walk was organized by the district health department of South Waziristan Upper on Wednesday, dedicated to championing the paramount significance of breastfeeding for the healthy growth of children.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Shamsur Rahman Dawar, District Health Officer of South Waziristan Upper, emphasized the imperative nature of exclusive breastfeeding during the early stages of a child’s life. Dr. Dawar articulated the profound shielding capabilities inherent in a mother’s milk, which stands as an indispensable defense against diseases, bearing the potential for lifelong advantages.
Furthermore, Dr. Dawar accentuated the key timeline for the initiation of breastfeeding, advocating for its commencement within the first hour following childbirth. This practice, he emphasized, significantly enhances the child’s robustness and resilience.
The event garnered the presence of eminent figures, among them being Hikmatullah Mehsud, President of the All Paramedics Association. Mehsud highlighted that a two-year breastfeeding period contributes not only to physical well-being but also bolsters a child’s immune system, offering them defense against potential illnesses.
Deficiency in breastfeeding practices
Due to the lack of awareness, Mehsud said that the children of this region were facing many kinds of mental and physical diseases due to the deficiency in comprehensive breastfeeding practices.
Addressing this dire predicament, speakers urged for a collective effort to raise awareness and engender a profound understanding of the manifold health benefits associated with mother’s milk. Mother’s milk laden with essential fats, vitamins, proteins, and enzymes—constituting an indispensable concoction crucial for the development and optimal growth of a child.
They called on the elders to actively contribute to in the dissemination of knowledge pertaining to the pivotal role of breastfeeding in nurturing the rising generation.
Later, the speakers and participants of the seminar organized an awareness walk too to highlight benefits of breastfeeding.
