The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition together with United Nations Childrens Fund have reechoed calls on the state government for the institution of a policy that allow six months paid maternity leave for breastfeeding and nursing mothers in Gombe State.
This call came through the CS-SUNN’s state Coordinator Mrs Comfort Amos Mukollo, along side some members of coalition on scaling up nutrition while on an advocacy visit to the office of the Gombe State Head of Civil Service.
She lamented the prevalence of malnutrition among children in the state and stressed that fighting the situation requires the support all sectors of the state.
The coordinator explained that the coalition which was formed since 2017 has been working towards ensuring that malnutrition is drastically reduced in the state, adding that apart from the advocacy to relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, CS-SUNN also carries out nutrition education at health facilities, household trainings to women groups as well as food demonstration on how to use readily available farm produce to prepare cheaper and healthy foods for their families.
She expressed believe that instituting a policy for six months paid maternity leave for the nursing mothers would be of immense benefit to mothers and the children, and contribute to building a healthier and prosperous society.
Mukollo noted that the early months of a child’s life are pivotal for nurturing, bonding and providing essential nutrition through breastfeeding, hence the need for the paid six months maternity leave to allow mothers exclusively breastfeed for the recommended six months.
She therefore solicited for the support and consideration of the head of service in advocating for and implementing the policy which is in conformity with the global best practices.
Responding, the state Head of Service Alhaji Ahmad Kasim Abdullahi, represented by the Permanent Secretary Establishment Mrs Larai Maigari, assured the advocacy team that the state government is concerned about the rising Malnutrition situation, hence it commitment to payment of counterpart funds to donor agencies and even the establishment of factory for the production of ready to use therapeutic foods in the state.
Abdullahi explained that unlike before, nursing mothers now enjoy four months maternity leave instead of the usual three months, adding that already a committee has been set to review the Gombe State Civil Service Rules and promised to forward the request to the committee for possible consideration.
He also challenged the CS-SUNN to intensify campaigns on the need for establishing creches within organisations for working nursing mothers to breastfeed their babies with ease while at work.
