By Rose Palacio
City Health Officer Dr. Josephine Villafuerte said the city government, as instructed by Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, has been monitoring nutrition implementation in all district of Davao and promotes breastfeeding as a vital component of the Presidents hunger mitigation program.
Reviving the culture of breastfeeding among the Filipinos will help fight hunger in the country, she said.
The CHO noted that breastfeeding does not only benefit infants but also helps families save a lot of money.
The savings from cost of infant formula and other artificial breastfeeding accessories may be used to buy food and other needs of the family. Breastfeeding also promotes early childhood care and development which redounds to health and smart children, Dr. Villafuerte said.
Government statistics showed that annually, around 16,000 Filipino babies who are not sufficiently breastfed die.
Last year, World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Dr. Jean Marc Oliv? told President Arroyo in a letter that breastfeeding could fortify the governments efforts to alleviate poverty in the Philippines. (PIA XI Dispatch/rbpalacio)
