Partners in support of exclusive breastfeeding have made a call to action to industry players to join hands to see breastfeeding as just not a biological process but also as a natural gift providing infants with optimal nutrition and emotional bonding, setting the stage for lifetime of wellness.
This call was made during the launch of the breastfeeding awareness month celebration.

According to stakeholders and partners championing the Breastfeeding Promotions Regulations, 2000 (LI 1667), this year's theme, "Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a Difference for Working Parents," reminds us that the practice of breastfeeding extends far beyond the confines of the home.

To them, it resonates deeply with the shared goal of creating an environment where breastfeeding is encouraged and fully supported. A survey conducted by the FDA and presented at the launch disclosed that many parents, particularly working mothers, face challenges in juggling their professional responsibilities while providing the best nutrition for their children through breastfeeding practices.

This is in line with some findings so far from the breastmilk for life (BFL) project by Ubora Institute. The practicalities around these challenges still remains a puzzle to be solved. Key highlights of the event were:
• Labour agencies in Ghana were reminded that creating a breastfeeding-supportive environment was not just an obligation but an investment for the future of the health and well-being of the public, and in fact their next employee.” A call for the review of existing regulations to address the identified gaps to strengthen restrictions of advertisements of infant formulas and clear sanctions for behavior contrary to the Breastfeeding promotion regulation 2000 (L.I. 1667). • Stakeholders of health were entreated to actively and openly share with the general public the various Guidelines and Legislation on Breastfeeding put in place to protect infants, and everyone’s role in its implementation. In attendance at the launch which was the first session was the Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Tina Mensah, the CEO of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr. Delese Darko, and representatives from the WHO, USAID, UNICEF who gave statements on the progress Ghana has made and a call for an action to create a safer space for working mothers to continue working without restrictions to maternity benefits. Other partners and stakeholders present were Ubora Institute, the media and academia.

The second session of the celebration has Kayayie (head potters) in the Accra metropolis schooled on the nutritional impact of practicing exclusive breastfeeding. On the premises of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, scores of head potters were given the opportunity to interact with a team from the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Food Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ubora Institutes BFL team representative, Philomina Amofah. Mothers and the society are urged to see breast milk as a natural gift and free as compared to the increasingly patronage for infant formulas.