USAID and Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha Lead Massive Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign During World Breastfeeding Week

From August 1 to 7, the United States government, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, and development partners celebrated World Breastfeeding Week. The celebration highlights the importance of breastfeeding for infant and maternal health, emphasizing theimportance of collective responsibility to protect, promote, and support this vital practice.

Distinguished guests at the flag-off event included lactating mothers and their children, top-level government officials, representatives from the donor community, various healthdevelopment and welfare organizations, and USAID/Nigeria Goodwill Ambassador for NutritionChioma Chukwuka Akpotha.

As part of the celebration, Ms. Chukwuka Akpotha delivered a goodwill message, and facilitated an experience sharing session with mothers on the importance of breastfeeding. Additionally, over 30,000 Nigerian mothers convened, nationwide, in a bid to achieve the highest number of mothers breastfeeding simultaneously, and raise awareness about the low exclusive breastfeeding rate in Nigeria. Prior to the flag-off event, Ms. Chukwuka Akpotha met with United States Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills and U.S. Embassy community to discuss her role as Goodwill Ambassador and her efforts to raise awareness about maternal health and child nutrition in Nigeria. According to the 2021 Multi Indicator Cluster Survey, only 33 percent of infants in Nigeria were exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life. This means only one in every three children receive the proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals needed to supportchild development.

For several decades, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has remained committed to supporting breastfeeding initiatives as a key component of nutrition programming in Nigeria and contributing…