Saamasang, ChildFund sensitise West Coast women on breastfeeding

Saamasang Federation in collaboration with Childfund The Gambia recently conducted a daylong parenting education training workshop for women in West Coast Region.

The training centred on infant and child welfare issues such as breastfeeding.

In an interview with The Point newspaper, Malang Janneh, an official of NaNA regional health directorate in Brikama, said exclusive breastfeeding for the six months in the life of a child is very important in protecting children against childhood diseases and other conditions.

“Breast milk should be given to a newly born child to ensure that the child receive adequate iron,” he said.  “All the nutrients that a child needs in food, a balance diet, are in the breast milk.”

Mr Janneh said after six months, mothers can start to give babies complementary foods containing elements such as energy, protein and fat.

Lamin Fatty of Saamasang Federation said the daylong training was important in the sense that it shows women how to breastfeed their babies and the type of food that should be given to children after the exclusive breastfeeding period.

He said Saamasang Federation and Childfund The Gambia are concerned with the protection and welfare of children because they are the future leaders of the country.

Mr Fatty said Saamasang and Childfund have collaboratively organised several trainings geared towards promoting and protecting the health and wellbeing of children.

Laibo Bojang, a participant in the training, commended Saamasang and Childfund for “the wonderful efforts” towards the health of children and women of West Coast Region.

She said the two organisations usually help them in the education of their children.

She advised the other participants to share the knowledge gained from the training with those who were not fortunate to be part of the training.