As part of the World Breastfeeding Week 2026 commemoration, the Interfaith Mediation Centre, IMC has called on mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life and continue breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding as recommended by health professionals.
In a statement in Kaduna signed by Fadila Bukar Head of the Women Department to mark the Week, IMC wants husbands and family members to provide emotional, financial, and practical support to breastfeeding mothers and help create a supportive environment that enables successful breastfeeding.
Other roles iexpected in this regard include religious and traditional leaders to continue using their trusted platforms to promote positive maternal, newborn, and child health practices and address harmful beliefs and misconceptions.
Health workers to provide quality, respectful, and mother-friendly healthcare services that encourage and support breastfeeding mothers .
Government institutions and development partners to strengthen investments in policies, programmes, and community-based initiatives that promote breastfeeding, maternal health services, and public awareness.
The IMC also reaffirms its commitment to working with communities, faith institutions, traditional leaders, government agencies, media organizations, and development partners to improve maternal and child health outcomes across Kaduna State through inclusive, faith-sensitive, and community-driven approaches.
“Together, we can create supportive environments where every mother is empowered to breastfeed successfully and every child has the opportunity to survive, grow, and thrive.”
Speaking on the importance of this year’s commemoration, the Co-Executive Director of IMC, Malam Hayatu Ashafa, emphasized that improving maternal and child health requires collective responsibility and sustained action beyond the health sector.
“Breastfeeding is not only a health issue; it is a family and community responsibility. Husbands, religious leaders, traditional institutions, health workers, and community members all have important roles to play in creating an enabling environment where mothers receive the encouragement, support, and resources needed to exclusively breastfeed their babies. Through the FCC Project, he emphasized, the IMC continues to promote positive social norms that encourage antenatal care, skilled facility delivery, childbirth spacing, and spousal communication as pathways to healthier families.”
“Through the Faith and Cultural Champions (FCC) Project, implemented in selected communities across Kaduna State, IMC continues to leverage faith and cultural structures to promote positive behavioural change in maternal, newborn, and child health. Religious and traditional leaders have been engaged to integrate key health messages into sermons, community dialogues, women’s gatherings, and youth engagements,” he concludes.
