By Richard Kagunda

Kasungu, August 7, Mana: Kasungu District Council says the coming in of modern technology such as social media is distracting women from properly breastfeeding their infants, a tendency it says is leading to poor child development.

Chairperson for the council, Mwambilaso Mbedza, made the observation on Tuesday during the district’s commemoration of World Breast Feeding Week activities at Chinkhoma Primary School in Kasungu.

Mbedza said as women spend long hours entertaining themselves on social media and television, they forget their duty to properly attend their infants who need regular breastfeeding.

“A baby is supposed to be breastfed at least eight times a day but most women do not do this as they spend long hours on social media.

“This tendency is contributing to poor growth of infants and has lasting effects on their health as a person grows into adulthood,” she said.

Mbedza said there is a need to raise awareness of the importance of regular breastfeeding, observing that some women fail to follow breastfeeding prescriptions out of ignorance.

On her part, the Senior Nursing and Midwifery Officer for Kasungu District Health Office, Phebby Lodzeni Nyondo said it is worrisome to learn that some mothers do not regard breastfeeding as an important ingredient towards child growth.

“Most mothers regard breastfeeding as a disturbance. We urge them to make sure that their babies are breastfed properly on daily basis,” she said.

Nyondo also appealed to men to take a leading role in reminding and supporting their lactating wives to breastfeed their babies.

The world observes Breastfeeding Week every year in the first week of August to remind mothers about the importance of breastfeeding and promote an enabling environment that helps women to breastfeed and share information on strategies and benefits.

While breastfeeding is regarded as the most effective means to ensure child health and survival, the World Health Organisation reports that fewer than half of the infants under six months old are exclusively breastfed.

This year’s breastfeeding week is being observed under the theme ‘Minimising the gap’.