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Pagba Saha Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), has appealed to women to make exclusive breast feeding a habit in order to improve on the health of their children.

Speaking at a stakeholder forum in Wa, Hajia Sawuratu Alhassan, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, which seeks to improve the health of women and children in the three northern regions,said exclusive breast feeding will not only enable their babies to grow healthier and stronger but also increase their resistance to diseases.  

She said “breast milk, especially the yellowish breast milk produced immediately after child birth is required for the baby to develop healthier and must be given to the baby after the first 30 minutes of delivery”. 

Hajia Alhassan also appealed to the women to observe antenatal and post natal care services in order to prevent maternal health challenges.  

She urged pregnant women to go for antenatal care services as well as endeavour to deliver at health facilities to help attain the SDG three which called for zero tolerance for maternal mortality.

She said there is the need for husbands to support their wives financially and emotionally at all levels of their pregnancy including accompanying them to visit health facilities during antenatal.  

Hajia Alhassan expressed unhappiness with the incidence of ‘open defecation’, saying the practice was on the rise particularly in the three regions of the north, adding that the tendency of the practice in causing sanitation related diseases such as cholera was very high. 

“Development planners must ensure that toilet facilities are included in building plans before permits are issued and everybody must also construct household toilets in their homes in order to end ‘open defecation’ in the country” she said.  

The participants commended Pagba Saha Foundation for organizing the program to enlighten them on pertinent issues concerning their health. 

The forum, which was under the theme: “Basket of Behaviours”, afforded participants the opportunity to discuss behaviour patterns such as proper hand washing with soap, early/forced marriage and sleeping under Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs) among others. 

The forum which was organized by Pagba Saha Foundation with support from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) brought together over 50 participants, community leaders and volunteers in some selected communities in the Municipality.  

It was also organized in the Wa East and Lambusie-Karni Districts and will also be extended to cover Sissala East and the Jirapa Districts.