Sri Lanka has achieved a 50% increase in the number of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their babies during the first six months, UNICEF said yesterday.

Celebration of World Breastfeeding Week is to be launched in Sri Lanka along with other countries today.

Several government health initiatives led by the Ministry of Health and supported by UNICEF have seen the country’s rate of ‘exclusive breastfeeding’ increase from 50% to 75% from 2000 to 2,007. The result is fewer infant deaths, and healthier babies, the UNICEF said.

"In a developing country, a child who is breastfed is almost three times more likely to survive infancy than a child who is not breastfed, said UNICEF’s Nutrition project officer, Dr. Renuka Jayatissa."We will continue to support Government in revitalising Baby Friendly Hospitals (BFHs) and roll out trainings so as to ensure further progress.’

Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week, in Sri Lanka (15-19 September), UNICEF, along with the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), is recommending the provision of increased professional and informal support for breastfeeding mothers.

UNICEF says that recent scientific studies have found that education and support for mothers significantly have led to an increase in the number of months that mothers breastfeed.

Although there has been progress in the developing world, only 38% of infants under six months of age are breastfed. This compares poorly with Sri Lanka’s 75%.

The aim of World Breastfeeding Week was to promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, which yielded tremendous health benefits, providing critical nutrients, protection from deadly diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea and fostering growth and development, the UNICEF said.