Bill promoting exclusive breast-feeding hailed
Summary
Nepal has moved to amend its breast-milk substitute law to strengthen exclusive breastfeeding, improve newborn nutrition and tighten rules on formula marketing. Health experts have also urged paid maternity leave, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces and better support for mothers.
Key Points
- Only 55 per cent of Nepalese children are breastfed within the first hour of birth, while just seven in 10 infants under six months are exclusively breastfed.
- The government has introduced a bill to amend the law regulating the sale and distribution of breast-milk substitutes and strengthen child nutrition protections.
- The proposed changes would clarify the roles of federal, provincial and local governments and toughen penalties for violations.
- Experts are calling for six months of paid maternity leave, breastfeeding counselling, workplace lactation rooms and stronger control of formula milk marketing.
