The USAID funded Breakthrough Action Nigeria has conducted a quiz competition bothering around exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding, for members of Ward Development Committees, WDCs in Bauchi local area.
The development was part of activities to commemorate the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week, which drew two Male and Female members of Ward Development Committees, WDCs from ten out of the twenty wards in the LGA, to include; Dan Amar A and B, Dan Iya, Dan Kade, Dawaki, Makama A and B, Miri and Tirwun.
In an interview with Radio Nigeria, the State Coordinator, Breakthrough Action Nigeria, Usman Inuwa said the essence was to test the knowledge of the participants on breastfeeding etiquette and to empower them on strategies they should use to enlighten people in their immediate environment.
Usman Inuwa said the initiative was the first of its kind in the whole country and was brought to the fore to ensure a paradigm shift, instead of repeating the same thing every year.
He added that the programme has three sessions to include; quiz competition, demonstration of breastfeeding a child and development of Annual Work Plan by the WDCs, which would be supervised and technically supported by Breakthrough Action Nigeria between 2023 World Breastfeeding Week and the next.
Some of the WDC members who spoke to Radio Nigeria, Aminu Bala from Tirwun ward, Salamatu Aminu, Makama B ward and Abdussalam Abdu of Dan Iya ward pledged to intensify their sensitisation and advocacy mechanism towards improving maternal and child health, particularly the campaign for exclusive breastfeeding practice among mothers.
The Deputy Director, Disease Control and Immunization in the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mr Yusuf Fate said the initiative would strengthen the agency’s drive towards improving children nutrition in the state.
Mr Fate commended Breakthrough Action Nigeria for the initiative and solicited the cascading of same to other wards across the state.
Also speaking, the Bauchi Local Council’s Director of Primary Health Care, Sulaiman Abdu Kirfi who said the new approach was a step in the right direction, assured that the initiative identified the right personalities whose work was grassroot mobilisation and sensitisation of communities on issues that would aid development.
