Borno set to introduce policy to benefit working mothers

Ibrahim Umar
Kanempress
5th, August,2023

The government of Borno State has announced its intention to implement a six-month maternity leave policy for women employed by the state government. Dr. Mohammed Ghuluze the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Health and Human Services revealed this during a press conference held in Maiduguri to mark World Breastfeeding Week. Currently the state government provides four months of maternity leave to its employees but efforts are being made to extend this to six months.

Dr. Ghuluze emphasized that the focus of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is to encourage action across various sectors including the private sector to improve breastfeeding facilities and support for nursing mothers. He also mentioned the need to consider enacting policies that promote breastfeeding-friendly workplaces and create new breastfeeding facilities where they are lacking.

By extending maternity leave and creating a more supportive work environment the Borno State government aims to ensure that working mothers have the time and resources they need to breastfeed their infants. This is in line with the global campaign to promote and protect breastfeeding which is crucial for the health and well-being of both infants and their mothers.

The permanent secretary added that the state government was stepping up effort to achieve the 50 percent exclusive breastfeeding target set by the United Nations from the current 40 percent.

He said working mothers struggle to balance child care and work responsibilities, thereby resulting in early cessation of breastfeeding.

Women therefore need continued support from the government, health system, workplace and communities to play their critical role in empowering them and sustaining breastfeeding-friendly environments” the Permanent Secretary stressed,” Ghuluze said.