Breastfeeding scheme in Ethiopia

A new breastfeeding initiative has been announced in Ethiopia to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week, which ends today.

The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health has teamed up with the World Health Organisation and Unicef to mark the event.

There have been 40,000 umbrellas distributed across the country with messages about breastfeeding, focusing on health extension workers and supervisors.

In addition, acclaimed Ethiopian singer Zeritu Kebede has been publicising the event, with public service announcements and billboards.

Dr Kebede Worku, state minister of health, said: "Ethiopia is joining the global commemoration of World Breastfeeding Week in recognition of the critical role played by exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life for child survival and ending hunger and poverty."

Ted Chaiban, Unicef representative to Ethiopia, added: "Children who are exclusively breastfed from birth to six months and continuously up to two years with appropriate complementary foods, grow up to be healthier, smarter and more productive than those who aren't."

More than 120 countries celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, which was started in 1992.

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