Malacañang, 1 August 2005. With 16,000 child deaths every year in the Philippines caused by formula feeding, Dr Nicholas Alipui, Country Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), lauded President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s proclamation of every first week of August as National Breastfeeding Week.

This date coincides with World Breastfeeding Week, which 120 countries are already celebrating.

“We appreciate President Arroyo’s commitment to promote and support exclusive breastfeeding in the Philippines,” Dr Alipui said. “Breastfeeding saves lives and increases the chances that children will grow to be healthy and educated.”

In her proclamation speech, President Arroyo acknowledged the benefits of breastfeeding “for the good of the child, for the good of the mother, and for the good of the nation.”

“Breastfeeding benefits the economy,” she said. “If all lactating mothers breastfed their babies, we would save US$57 million from milk formula imports every year.”

“The positive impact of the breastfeeding programme will be felt, not only by the cohort of babies today, but by all generations of Filipinos,” President Arroyo added.

The proclamation mandates the Department of Health to lead the celebration of National Breastfeeding Week, with the participation of the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Local Government Units, and the Philippine Information Agency, to ensure a high level of awareness, support and protection of breastfeeding.

UNICEF has raised the alarm on declining breastfeeding rates in the country. The damage to children from lack of adequate breastfeeding and lack of good nutrition in the first two years of life can be permanent. Immune-system weakness, stunted growth, and compromised intelligence are just some of the possible consequences.

In the Philippines, half of all infants in 2003 were exclusively breastfed for less than 24 days, down from 1.4 months in 1998. By six to seven months old, only 1.4 per cent of babies are still exclusively breastfed.
The duration of exclusive breastfeeding recommended by WHO and UNICEF for optimal infant growth, development and health is six months.

UNICEF works with partners, governments and communities to protect and promote breastfeeding by supporting national infant-feeding legislation, improving pre- and post-natal care, and boosting resources for new mothers at the community level. Protecting breastfeeding during emergencies is also a major UNICEF priority, when poor feeding practices can allow diseases to claim lives with frightening speed.

# # #
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Dale Rutstein
UNICEF Manila, 901 0177 or 0917 866 4969, drutstein@unicef.org
Alexis Rodrigo
UNICEF Manila, 901 0173 or 0917 858 9447, arodrigo@unicef.org