WASHINGTON, DC – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says a significant number of newborns in Latin America and the Caribbean are breastfed within the first hour of birth.
But, PAHO, which is observing World Breastfeeding Week, under the theme “Prioritize breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems” also noted that the figure drops significantly across the Americas in coming months.
According to PAHO, based on data published last year, 52 percent of newborns are breastfed within the first hour of birth, and 43 percent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed. However, these rates drop to 37 percent across the broader Americas region and 27 percent in North America.
PAHO said that only 19 of the 35 countries and territories in the region have adopted legal measures to partially or fully implement the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which protects breastfeeding from commercial influences.
To address these challenges, PAHO said it is supporting countries through initiatives like the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, which creates supportive environments for breastfeeding in healthcare facilities.
The UN organization said it also aids in monitoring compliance with the Code and developing national policies to promote optimal infant feeding, aligning with World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF’s Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding and PAHO’s efforts to prevent childhood obesity.
The WHO and UNICEF statement calls for action to strengthen health systems by ensuring adequate investment in equitable, quality maternal and newborn care, including breastfeeding support services as well as increasing national budget allocations for breastfeeding programmes.
The statement also calls for integrating breastfeeding counselling and support into routine maternal and child health services, including antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care as well as ensuring all health service providers are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to support breastfeeding, including in emergency and humanitarian settings.
The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell have emphasized that breastfeeding is a baby’s first defense against diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia, acting as their “first vaccine.”
Yet, only 48 percent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed globally, far from the 60 percent target set by the World Health Assembly for 2030.
