GANGTOK, Aug 12: Only 43 percent of women breast-feed their children in Sikkim. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Family Health Survey III, the percentage of children under three years, who are breast-fed within an hour of birth is 43.3 per cent in Sikkim,” said Ms Bharati Basnett, assistant director, SDPO, Namchi. The state, which ranks 13th nationally in this respect, observed the 16th World Breast Feeding Week. The programme was organised by the state nutrition cell under the department of social justice, empowerment and welfare and the objective was to educate rural women about the importance of breast-feeding. The theme of the week-long programme was ‘breast feeding: first hour; save one million babies’. “First-hour feeding is important to reduce infant mortality rate as it helps build the baby’s reflexes when it is particularly alert and ready to start suck”, said Ms Basnett. Events such as a baby show competition for children below one year, quiz competition for village mothers and adolescent girls, a recipe competition on complementary food were held. The programme was also organised in remote villages, such as Lumsey, Rongli, Assam Lingzey and Khamdong in East Sikkim; Chungtang and Geyzing in North Sikkim and Nandugaon in South Sikkim. “Besides securing highly beneficial nutrition from mothers’ milk including the protective benefits of colostrums that reach the immunological active live cells, antibodies, the baby also receives nutrients which affect growth factors and is rich Vitamin K,” Ms Basnett, said. “Breast-feeding is important for a child, as it is its main source of food. Also, it works as a medicine for the child as it contains antibiotics which protect it from communicable diseases”, said Mr Bhim Rai, a teacher and senior citizen of a village. “The mother’s milk may keep the child healthy till the age of five years but only if the feeding is adequate,” he added. He also highlighted the importance of family planning, nutrition, integrated child development schemes that may be provided by the state government. He stressed on the role of ‘Balika Samiriddhi Yozana’ in rural areas as well.
