Despite the extensive promotion of breastfeeding, the number of mothers practicing exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of their babies' lives remains stagnant in several countries.

The Family Larsson Rosenquist Foundation (FLRF) has identified a significant "breastfeeding policy operationalization gap" in many countries, which needs to be addressed to improve breastfeeding rates and achieve the desired impact.

This gap primarily arises from the uncoordinated and fragmented implementation of interventions, a lack of understanding regarding the factors influencing successful breastfeeding among women from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, and inadequate decision-making processes that affect the outcomes of breastfeeding journeys.

To bridge this gap, FLRF and McKinsey & Co. have collaborated to develop a tool and a formal process that systematically operationalizes the implementation of breastfeeding policies or strategies at the country level.

In partnership with the Ghana Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Ubora Quality Institute, and FLRF, the Breastmilk For Life Project was initiated. This project, which runs from January 2022 to the end of June 2024, aims to test the tool and operationalization process specifically in Ghana.

The project's objectives include developing an operationalization plan for Ghana's breastfeeding strategies and building the capacity within Ghana to support the government in implementing the resulting plan.

Additionally, the project aims to extend its support to other West African governments in operationalizing their own breastfeeding policies or strategies.