NAIROBI, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Friday said that the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in Kenya for children under the age of six months has stagnated at 60 percent over the last decade against the global target of 70 percent by 2030.
Mary Muriuki, principal secretary of the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the prevalence rate is mainly attributed to inadequate awareness and education about the benefits of breastfeeding.
"There are also cultural practices that promote the early introduction of solid foods as well as limited access to proper healthcare facilities," Muriuki said during the national launch of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week campaign.
The annual campaign commemorates the 1990 Innocenti Declaration on the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding.
Muriuki said breastfeeding is a key public health approach to disease prevention and contributes to significant health cost savings. "It gives children a solid nutrition and health foundation for optimal growth and development, enabling them to attain their full potential both physically and cognitively, subsequently enhancing human capital."
The societal stigma around breastfeeding in public adds to the difficulties in balancing breastfeeding and professional responsibilities, Muriuki said. ■