The issue of exclusive breastfeeding continues to remain a major challenge in the country, particularly in rural areas where traditions run deep and access to healthcare is often limited.
This is because cultural misconceptions, lack of education and societal pressures often compel mothers to supplement breast milk with water, porridge and other food items in the first six months of a baby’s life.
This widespread practice undermines the health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding which is essential for infants’ growth, development and immunity.
Yariga No. 2, a farming community in the Pusiga District in the Upper East Region is no exception to this challenge.
For the past years, mothers and caregivers in the community have struggled to navigate the complexities of breastfeeding often making choices that unknowingly compromise their babies’ health.
For instance, most of them often introduce water, herbal concoction or porridge to the babies within the first few weeks of birth.
Exclusive breastfeeding
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines exclusive breastfeeding as the practice of feeding an infant only breast milk for the first six months of life.
No other liquids or solids are given – not even water – with the exception of oral rehydration solution, or drops/syrups of vitamins, minerals or medicines.
It ensures that infants receive all the necessary nutrients for growth and development during the critical period while providing antibodies that protect them against infections.
Breastfed babies are said to have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type one diabetes and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfed babies are also less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), delayed breastfeeding increases risk of newborn deaths by up to 80 per cent and reports further that about 500,000 newborns in Ghana are not breastfed within the first hour of life.
Similarly, the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) 2014 indicates that only 52 per cent of infants under six months old are exclusively breastfed.
Motor-to-mother groups
However, at the Yariga No.2 community, a grassroots initiative, led by the community’s own women is transforming the narrative of exclusive breastfeeding.
Christened, “Mother-to-Mother Support Groups”, these groups provide peer education and sensitise mothers to the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and safe delivery practices.
The intervention formed part of the Infant and Young Child Feeding programme initiated by the UNICEF in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) geared towards improving nutrition of infants for optimal growth.
Under the project, the mother-to-Mother Support Groups are being trained and supported with the necessary logistics for them to in turn provide peer education to their fellows on exclusive breastfeeding, safe delivery, hygiene among others.
Experiences
Sharing her experience with the Daily Graphic, a member of the group, Bukari Barikisu, said they were trained by UNICEF and GHS on how to improve the nutrition of infants, pregnant women and general wellbeing of community members.
She explained that members of the groups often mobilise the community members, particularly women to sensitise them and exchange advice on breastfeeding, childcare and maternal health.
“In the past, I didn’t know the importance of breastfeeding exclusively for six months, but now, through this group, we teach each other how to do it and why it’s so important for our babies.
So far, every woman in the community who delivers do exclusive breastfeeding which have improved the health of infants” she pointed out.
Osman Rabiatu, a mother of two indicated that “When I delivered by my first baby i didn’t do exclusive breastfeeding, so he used to fall sick almost every day”.
“After receiving education from the groups, I decided to try the exclusive breastfeeding on my second baby and I realised that she was very healthy and strong” she added.
Improved outcomes
Like many rural communities in the region, Yariga faces significant healthcare challenges as there is no health facility to serve the over 1000 population.
Whenever complications arise during pregnancy or when infants fall ill, the only option for community members is to travel long distances to access health care at Widana or Pusiga township.
However, members of Mother-to-Mother Support Groups are contributing to improve health outcomes in the community.
The Nutrition Officer of the Pusiga District, Eadbert Ansoba, indicated that the Infant and Young Child Feeding programme had contributed to reduce underweight from 1.5 per cent in first quarter of 2023 to 0.7 per cent in same period this year.
He said “the programme has built the capacity of the mother-to-mother support groups, health workers and supported with logistics to improve health care delivery. They also supported us to screen more than 1,200 refugees stationed in the district”.
For her part, the Health and Nutrition Officer at UNICEF, Tamale Field office, Porbilla Ofosu Apea, the intervention was geared towards addressing the relatively low exclusive breastfeeding rate as well as help promote infant and young child feeding practices.
That, she said, would go a long way to prevent malnutrition, adding that “the idea of the mother-to-mother support groups is to complement the efforts of health workers”.
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