ILOILO City – As this city battles persistent child malnutrition, health officials are turning to an age-old solution with renewed urgency: exclusive breastfeeding.
Citing its long-term benefits on child health and even population control, the City Health Office (CHO) is intensifying its campaign to ensure that every infant is nourished by mother’s milk alone for the first six months of life.
“This advocacy aims to lessen, if not eradicate, malnutrition until adulthood,” said CHO Nurse IV Heidi Gomez during a press conference on May 22, emphasizing the crucial role of breastfeeding in preventing lifelong nutrition deficits.
Exclusively breastfed children are “100 percent” healthier than those fed with formula milk, she stressed.
The program also underscores the importance of complementary feeding from six months to two years of age, encouraging mothers to introduce soft, nutritious options such as mashed potatoes and vegetables alongside breastmilk.
Gomez said the city is targeting expectant and new mothers through prenatal and postnatal consultations, while peer counselors stationed in barangays provide guidance on proper breastfeeding techniques.
In support of working mothers, the CHO has also promoted the establishment of mother and baby-friendly workplaces, allowing lactating employees to continue breastfeeding after returning to work.
Beyond nutrition, Gomez noted that breastfeeding aids natural family planning by stimulating oxytocin production, which supports uterine contractions and delays the return of fertility.
With malnutrition linked to long-term cognitive and physical development issues, the city’s breastfeeding campaign is being positioned not just as a health intervention — but as a foundational policy for healthier generations to come. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency)/PN
