Chikwawa District Commemorates 2025 World Breastfeeding Week
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Reported by Chisomo Phiri
Chikwawa District on Thursday joined global partners in observance of World Breastfeeding Week 2025 at Nkombezi Ground, Nchalo, calling on mothers to prioritize breastfeeding while urging stronger support systems for optimal child health.
The event, held under the global theme “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems”, mirrors the WHO/UNICEF campaign for 2025 which emphasizes enabling environments in homes, workplaces, and health systems so women can breastfeed with sustained backing.
Key Messages and Local Challenges
During the commemoration, Michael Manong’a, Principal Nutrition and HIV & AIDS Officer for the Chikwawa District Council, underscored the critical importance of exclusive breastfeeding—that is, giving breast milk only for the first six months of life. He warned that many communities continue to deviate from recommended practices, contributing to child malnutrition and stunted growth.
“Inappropriate breastfeeding remains one of the leading causes of stunting in Chikwawa … Working mothers often struggle to breastfeed due to busy schedules …” — Manong’a
While his remark sets the stunting rate for Chikwawa at 39 percent, independent sources suggest somewhat varying figures: for example, a recent media report cited stunting in Chikwawa at approximately 35 percent. Nationally, Malawi’s stunting prevalence remains high, with some surveys placing it near 37 percent among children under five.
Manong’a also cautioned that inadequate breastfeeding not only impacts early child growth but may have long-term consequences—delayed cognitive development and lower future economic productivity.
Strengthening Support Systems: Voices from Chikwawa
The Baby-Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) Coordinator, Linda Gulaimfa, affirmed the need to extend exclusive breastfeeding promotion from three to six months and emphasized the advocacy for policies that support working mothers—such as longer maternity leave and workplace lactation facilities.
“Sustainable breastfeeding practices can only be achieved if mothers are adequately supported,” she emphasized.
Gulaimfa also noted that the BFHI works with health facilities and community structures to provide continuous counseling, peer support, and encouragement to mothers throughout their breastfeeding journey.
Broader Context: Why This Matters
The national launch of World Breastfeeding Week 2025 in Malawi took place in Lilongwe, where health officials urged that breastfeeding should receive backing at all levels—from home to workplace.
Globally, the 2025 campaign calls for multisectoral investment to protect breastfeeding—such as enforcing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and strengthening counselling services in health systems.
Malawi’s rate of exclusive breastfeeding among infants aged 0–6 months has reportedly declined in recent years—from about 72 percent in 2010 to 60 percent in 2024.
Climate change and food insecurity are emerging threats to breastfeeding practices. In Malawi, fluctuating harvests make it hard for some mothers to maintain good nutrition necessary for sustained breastfeeding.
In Chikwawa, the effects of seasonal shocks such as floods have been linked to increased malnutrition: local health workers note stunting at 38 percent and wasting as high as 11 percent in some areas.
Stakeholders Commit to Action
The gathering drew participants from health officials, local leaders, and community members. They reaffirmed their resolve to:
Improve counseling and follow-up at health facilities and in communities
Advocate for mother-friendly workplace policies (e.g. designated lactation rooms, extended leave)
Mobilize community support structures, including male involvement, peer counseling, and local champions
Strengthen partnerships across government, NGOs, employers, and households
As the district moves forward, Chikwawa’s commemoration sends a clear message: breastfeeding is not just a biological act but a social commitment—one requiring coordinated systems of care, support, and policy backing.
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