CS-SUNN advocate extension of paid maternity leave from three to six months in Benue State

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By Ene Ohaba

State Coordinator, Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS- SUNN, Mrs Rachael Ityonzughul has appealed to the Benue state Government to extend paid maternity leave for working nursing mothers from three to six months to encourage exclusive breastfeeding which protects infants against life-threatening infections.

Mrs. Ityonzughul who stated this when she paid an advocacy visit to the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr Aondowase Kunde and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Mrs Iveren Terfa said at six months, a baby would be considered strong enough to be left in a decent crèche for proper care.

Represented by the State Secretary CS- SUNN, Mr Dickson Odeh, Mrs Ityonzughul sought collaboration with the two ministries to ensure Benue people are nutrition secured to contribute their quota to the development of the state.

Deputy State Coordinator, CS- SUNN, Mrs Priscilla Utoo represented by Dr Gift Izenyi said Benue is rated among states with the highest burden of malnutrition in the country because forty three percent of children are not exclusively breastfed, attributing fifty four percent of death in children to malnutrition.

Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr Aondowase Kunde expressed sadness over the high rate of malnutrition among children especially in the IDPs camps which was affecting their health and promised to work with the team to eliminate malnutrition.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Iveren Terfa called on the Federal and State Governments to employ more people into the workforce so that the absence of the nursing mothers would not affect the office workings.

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