Many newborns are being deprived of breast milk due to the increase in the rate of cesarean sections and lack of awareness.
Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain said this while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of World Breastfeeding Week 2026 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the city.
The event was organised to increase awareness about breastfeeding. Health Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury presided over the event, while Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Ziauddin Hyder and Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr. Pravath Chandra Biswas attended the programme.
Urging to increase awareness about breastfeeding, the Health Minister said there is no alternative to breast milk for the good health of children.
"Breast milk is the best protein in the world. It is the main source of growth of a child for the first 4 to 5 months. It is very important to give colostrum to the child immediately after delivery, which is the highest source of protein," he continued.
"Due to the increase in the number of caesarean sections and lack of awareness, many children are being deprived of colostrum and breast milk," he said.
Many mothers stop breastfeeding their children on the pretext of their own malnutrition, which is completely inappropriate, he said. Malnutrition is increasing due to early marriage, lack of awareness and not breastfeeding their children, he added.
Referring to measles patients undergoing treatment in hospitals, the minister said that 'children's bodies are becoming weak due to malnutrition'.
Criticising the inaction of public health and nutrition institutions in the past few years, the minister said from now on, a program should be prepared for one year and civil surgeons, district administrators and upazila-level officials should be brought to an auditorium to explain the need for breastfeeding and make it mandatory to follow it.
There is a law in the country to regulate alternative foods to breast milk. Home-made balanced food is much more suitable for children than powdered milk mixed with preservatives and medicines available in the market, said the minister.
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