Khamisa Ayoub, Director of Nutrition -National Ministry of Health (Right), Rita Demetry, Senior Nutrition Inspector-National Ministry of Health (Middle), and Angelina Boi, MAMI Coordinator -MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience speak on Eye Radio's Dawn Show. August 2, 2023. (Photo: Awan Moses).

An official at the National Ministry of Health on Wednesday criticized mothers in urban settings for allegedly stopping breastfeeding their babies prematurely.

Breastfeeding is said to be one of the most effective ways to ensure a child’s health and survival.

According to WHO, it provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first months of life. It also provides up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one-third during the second year of life.

However, contrary to the World Health Organization’s recommendations, fewer than half of infants under 6 months old are exclusively breastfed.

Khamisa Ayoub, a nutrition director at the South Sudan’s Ministry of Health, commends women in the rural areas for good a breastfeeding practice.

“We can say the mothers in the rural areas are better in breastfeeding than the mothers in the towns,” she told Eye Radio.

Ms. Ayoub, however, criticized urban mothers who “often” stop their babies from suckling in less than six months to avoid their breast from falling.

“The educated mothers sometimes think that when the baby suckles, the breast will be falling, so they want to maintain their breasts, but this is a wrong practice.”

Ayoub stressed that breastfeeding for at least two years is the best option for a mother’s health and growth.

“Breastfeeding is the best option for your child, if you need your child to be healthy in future and benefit the country, you breastfeed your child until six months exclusively, and add complimentary food, then continue breastfeeding for two years and above.”

On Tuesday, South Sudan joined the rest of the world to commemorate breastfeeding week.

World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration which is held every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries.