Delta State Government has announced plans to begin six months of maternity leave for working mothers as part of efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding and improve child health.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojame, said this while addressing nursing and expectant mothers, nurses and other healthcare workers at the Primary Healthcare Centre in Ogbeogologo, Asaba, during the closing of the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week. The programme was organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Enugu Zonal Office in 12 states, including Delta.
Represented by Dr Paul Yinkori, Executive Director of the Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Onojame said the government would also encourage breastfeeding support groups and intensify awareness campaigns to tackle myths surrounding breastfeeding.
“We will implement six months maternity leave for working mothers and encourage breastfeeding support groups,” he said. “We must improve awareness on the importance of breastfeeding and put in place enabling policies such as early initiation within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and continuous complementary breastfeeding up to two years.”
He noted that the state’s exclusive breastfeeding rate was at 27 per cent, far below the World Health Organisation’s target of 50 per cent.
The event brought together mothers, health workers, and officials to share knowledge on breastfeeding and its benefits for both mother and child.
