A one-day sensitisation meeting of The Gambia Chapter of the International Baby Food Action Network was held last Saturday at the National Nutrition office.
Speaking to members at the meeting, the acting director of the National Nutrition Agency, Pa Modou Phall, urged the new members of the network to be committed to the attainment of optimal, maternal and infant health and nutrition.
Mr Phall called on members to take ownership of the network and not to see it as a NaNA's network but instead to serve as promoters and ambassadors of exclusive breastfeeding in the various communities and the organisations they served.
Fatou Bah, a senior midwife nurse at The Gambia Family Planning Association (GFPA), presented a paper on the importance of breast feeding. She said breast milk contains all the nutrients that a body needs and is easily digested and efficiently used by the body.
Malang Fofana, senior programme officer and Coordinator of IFBAN - Gambia Chapter, gave a presentation on the roles and responsibilities of the chapter. Bakary Jallow, also a senior programme officer NaNA, made a presentation on the International Code on Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and the Breastfeeding promotion regulation 2006.
Amat Bah, principal programme officer NaNA, also made a presentation on the importance of networking, co-ordination and information sharing.
