As the world observes Breastfeeding Week this August, a new report from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed concerning statistics about breastfeeding practices in the country.
According to the Demographic and Health Survey, 47.4% of infants under six months old in Ghana are not being exclusively breastfed.
This falls significantly short of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF’s recommendation, which urges that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.
Exclusive breastfeeding is crucial for the healthy development of infants, as it means they receive no other foods or liquids, not even water, during this critical period.
The report highlights worrying trends, particularly regarding the initiation of breastfeeding.
It reveals that two in every five children born in the two years preceding 2022 did not start breastfeeding within the first hour of life, a practice strongly recommended by health experts.
Regional disparities are notable, with Greater Accra, Ahafo, and Eastern regions showing that over half of the children did not begin breastfeeding within the first hour, with rates at 56.2%, 56.1%, and 51.7% respectively.
The delay in initiating breastfeeding is a significant concern, as it can negatively impact both maternal and child health.
The data also points to a national median duration for exclusive breastfeeding of just 2.9 months, far below the recommended six months.
Particularly low durations were recorded in Western North (1 month), Western (1.2 months), and Greater Accra (1.4 months) regions. Conversely, the Savannah and Volta regions reported the longest median durations at 4.7 and 4.4 months, respectively.
This year’s World Breastfeeding Week is theme, “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All.”
