Paediatric Health

Sudan: International Breastfeeding Week

MSF teams have been celebrating International Breastfeeding Week with communities in Omdurman, Sudan, this week.

Breastfeeding Week is marked every year between 1-7 August. Our health promotion teams across Omdurman have been hosting interactive talks, plays and quizzes about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Our teams explained how beneficial breast feeding is, for both baby and mother, and encouraged mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months.

Breast milk contains all the nutrients needed for a baby’s healthy development. It is also more easily digested than other types of milk. Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from constipation and diarrhea.

MSF encourages mothers not to wean their babies too early. While solid food can be introduced at six months, babies can continue to breastfeed for as long as the baby and mother like, up to around two years old.

In Omdurman, MSF provides primary health care through mobile clinics in four locations. MSF also supports Omdurman Teaching Hospital with Covid-19 screening and testing, as well as referral for isolation.