The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has set up Breast Milk Substitutes State Multi-Sectoral Technical Committees in 32 states.
This initiative aims to support the national strategy to promote breastfeeding and regulate breast milk substitute marketing in Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, said these committees will enforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and Nigeria’s national BMS regulations.
The agency hopes these efforts will protect breastfeeding, which plays a major role in children’s health and development.
At the virtual inauguration of the committees, NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye urged the teams to work actively in their states to support breastfeeding practices. She said, “Breastfeeding is crucial for public health and essential for the health and development of infants and mothers.”
Prof. Adeyeye highlighted that breastfeeding provides unique immune protection and health benefits that cannot be replicated in substitute products, adding, “Breastmilk contains hormones and bioactive components that are unmatched by any substitute.”
Also speaking, NAFDAC’s Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Mrs. Eva Edwards, said the committees had already been established physically in Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory.
She stated, “The virtual launch for the 32 BMS State Committees reflects our shared commitment to improving nutrition for infants and young children.”
The online event drew over 300 participants, including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, and Save the Children.
