Ministry of Health and Social Protection Launches National Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign
As part of its ongoing commitment to maternal and child health and nutrition, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, in partnership with the National Human Development Initiative, is launching the 15th edition of the National Awareness Campaign on the Importance of Breastfeeding. The campaign runs from October 20 to November 20, 2025, under the theme: “Optimal breastfeeding, a key pillar for child health during the first thousand days of life.”
The campaign aims to highlight the crucial role of breastfeeding in ensuring healthy and balanced physical, cognitive, and emotional growth for children. It aligns with international guidelines that recognize breastfeeding as one of the most effective ways to prevent malnutrition and chronic diseases while supporting cognitive and emotional development in infants. Breastfeeding also offers numerous health benefits for mothers, including reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and other conditions.
The World Health Organization recommends initiating breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, maintaining exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and continuing alongside complementary foods up to two years or more. The World Health Assembly has set a global target to reach a 50% rate of exclusive breastfeeding by 2025.
This initiative is part of the implementation of the National Communication Strategy for Social and Behavioral Change, which aims to promote healthy nutritional practices during the first thousand days of a child’s life, particularly through early and exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months.
To achieve these goals, an integrated action plan has been established. It includes the development of regional programs aligned with national guidelines, the organization of community awareness sessions targeting mothers and local communities, mobilization of healthcare professionals, community relays, and local media, strengthening the “Baby-Friendly Hospitals” initiative, and strict enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.
Through this campaign, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection reaffirms its ongoing commitment to provide every child with the conditions for a healthy life from the earliest days, improve public health indicators, and contribute to the development of human capital, paving the way for a better future for coming generations.
Editorial team/le7tv (Press release)
