WORLD Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is actively meeting, planning and working on making Penang a breastfeeding-friendly state within five years.
State executive councillor for Women & Family Development, Gender Inclusiveness and Religions Other Than Islam, Chong Eng commended WABA for the initiative that has brought together several key stakeholders within the healthcare, community, workplace, and research sector.
“The stakeholders are working together to ensure that breastfeeding is protected throughout Penang.
“I am proud to support this initiative and call for all Penangites to be the role model and inspire the rest of Malaysians,” she said when she officiated WABA World Breastfeeding Week 2019 – Making Penang Breastfeeding Friendly (MPFB) on Aug 4 at All Seasons Place in Air Itam.
Chong Eng congratulated MPFB committee on their first anniversary and their active involvement in the initiative and moving the project forward.
She said several of the themes and overarching strategies of the Penang2030 agenda are linked to breastfeeding and the MPBF initiative.
“I will give all my support to the MPBF initiative which aims to protect, promote and support families to provide the nutrition to the children,” she stressed.
Also present were WABA executive director Dr Amal Omer-Salim and Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim.
Dr Amal said breastfeeding is one of the best investments in saving lives and improving the health, social and economic development of individuals and nations.
“Malaysia has set its goal at 70% exclusive breastfeeding by 2025.
“Although the exclusive breastfeeding rates are relatively high in Penang, we need to ensure that all mothers regardless of ethnicity receive the support they need to initiate and sustain breastfeeding,” she commented.
WABA, a global organisation based in Penang, runs the 2019 World Breastfeeding Week with theme – ‘Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.’
“We are proud to co-ordinate the MPBF initiative, bringing together local stakeholders to make Penang a breastfeeding-friendly state.
“The MPBF initiative will also contribute to a sustainable Penang and can thus become a model to replicate beyond Penang and Malaysia,” Dr Amal stressed.
Story and pix by Danny Ooi