NAFDAC Urges Media to Protect Breastfeeding Practices and Reject Breast Milk Substitute Advertisements.
In an effort to promote maternal and child health, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called upon media organizations to play a vital role in supporting breastfeeding practices in Nigeria.
Pharm. James Kigbu, the State Coordinator of NAFDAC and Chairman of the Niger State Breast Milk Substitutes Multisectoral Committee, issued this call during an awareness meeting with media practitioners in Minna.
He announced that on October 26, 2024, the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, inaugurated the State Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) Multisectoral Technical Committee to reinforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.
Kigbu explained that the committee’s responsibilities include implementing the code, monitoring compliance, raising awareness, advocating for adherence, curtailing aggressive marketing of breast milk substitutes, promoting exclusive breastfeeding, and recommending sanctions for violations.
He emphasized that the media plays a crucial role in promoting breastfeeding and urged media professionals to familiarize themselves with the laws and regulations surrounding the marketing of breast milk substitutes in Nigeria.
“Media professionals are encouraged to train their staff to identify and report violations of the Code and to reject any advertisements promoting breast milk substitute products,” he stated.
According to Kigbu, NAFDAC does not issue advertisement permits for breast milk substitutes and is actively working to ensure that companies adhere to the Code and national regulations.
He highlighted that BMS manufacturing companies use various tactics to promote their products to mothers, including collaborations with professional associations, doctors, nurses, midwives, as well as through retail outlets and hospitals.
The media, he argued, can significantly contribute by exposing these tactics and promoting breastfeeding as the optimal feeding practice for infants and young children.
Kigbu urged the media to support these efforts by advocating for optimal feeding practices and considering the establishment of crèches in media houses for breastfeeding mothers.
He reiterated that the implementation and monitoring of the Code and national regulations require collaboration among all stakeholders, including the media, healthcare professionals, and government agencies.
The International Code of Marketing of BMS, developed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to regulate the marketing of breast milk substitutes.
It consists of 11 articles detailing recommendations for governments, healthcare systems, healthcare providers, and companies.
NAFDAC Decree 15 of 1993, as amended, empowers the agency to implement the Code in cooperation with state governments and other stakeholders.
