Guyana commemorated World Breastfeeding Week 2023

Georgetown, Guyana: To commemorate World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2023, Guyana’s Ministry of Health’s Food Policy Division hosted a Breastfeeding Education and Awareness Symposium on Thursday, August 3, at the Regency Hotel Suites on Hadfield Street.

As per the official update, WBW is being observed from August 1 to August 7 under the theme “Enabling Breastfeeding. Making a difference for working parents”.

During his brief remarks, Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, emphasised one of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding is that it promotes a healthier population.

“There is no doubt that people who are breastfed grow up to be healthier adults, and mothers who were breastfed when they were babies could have safer pregnancies and deliver healthier babies because the benefits of the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding and benefiting from breastmilk in the first two years last forever”, he said, according to the update shared by the Ministry of Health of Guyana.

In closing, Dr Ramsammy advocated for the public and private sectors to create safe spaces within the workplace to help support young mothers while allowing them to earn a living and be successful professionals.

Meanwhile, Director (ag), Food Policy Division, Gillian Trim, during her presentation, highlighted a few benefits of breastfeeding, such as babies having a higher IQ, breastmilk having all the nutrients a baby needs, mothers’ health being protected, and using breastmilk helping to save time and money, among others.

The Ministry informed the public that this event was attended by the Director of Primary Health Care, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton; Nutrition Surveillance Officer Madonna Grimes; Nutrition Auxiliary Officer Ullana Haywood; Community Nutrition Officer Oshea Kingston Jack, along with other representatives from UNICEF.