Queen marks breast feeding week

RETHABILE MOHONO

MASERU – Her Majesty Queen ’Masenate Seeiso yesterday paid a special visit to young mothers who have just given birth at Botha-Bothe hospital.

According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Lesotho, the visit was meant to encourage mothers to breastfeed their children on World Breast Feeding Week 2019.

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is held every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), breastfeeding can save more than 800 000 lives every year, the majority of whom are children under six months of age.

WHO further states that breastfeeding reduces the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It is estimated that increased breastfeeding could avert 20 000 maternal deaths each year due to breast cancer.