SUKKUR
:An important press briefing was held at the Sukkur National Press Club by NARI Foundation to mark the beginning of World Maternal and Child Health Week.The briefing was attended by Executive Director Anwar Mahar, Ahmed Bux Channa, Project Manager Shazia Abbasi, Sarfaraz Memon, and Amjad Mehar.In his address, Anwar Mahar stated that the health of mothers and children is the foundation of any society. “A healthy mother guarantees a healthy generation,” he said. He emphasized that breast milk, a balanced diet, and timely immunization during a child’s early years are essential for both physical and mental development.He further explained that, with financial support from IRC International and the European Union, NARI Foundation along with RDO and other partners is running an awareness campaign under the SIGN Project from August 1st to 7th. The campaign includes free medical camps and maternal health interventions across various districts, including Sukkur, Khairpur, Ghotki, Naushahro Feroze, and Kashmore-Kandhkot.
Project Manager Shazia Abbasi highlighted the enforcement of the Sindh Breastfeeding Promotion Act 2023, which legally mandates breastfeeding for newborns. “We have launched a week-long breastfeeding awareness campaign to educate mothers about the importance of feeding their child immediately after birth,” she said.Abbasi added that, according to medical experts, baby boys should be breastfed for at least two years and baby girls for up to two and a half years. She warned that a growing number of young women in both urban and rural areas are developing breast cancer due to the lack of breastfeeding. “If mothers do not start breastfeeding immediately after birth, there is a high risk of them developing cancer and ending up in hospitals later in life,” she cautioned.