UP, Delhi and Rajasthan among worst performers in breastfeeding

sfg-2026
ForumIAS LATEST
      1. SFG FRC 2027 | Program starts from 19th Dec. 2026 | Admissions open for Entrance Test Click Here to know more →
      2. Prelims Test Series (PTS) for Prelims 2027 starts 11th Oct. 2026 Click Here to know more →
      3. [Pre-order] Ethics Redbook 3rd Edition: Delivery starts from 10th October onwards Click Here to Read More →
      4. 21 Sept. | GS Advance Program (GSAP) for UPSC 2027 Mains starts from 11th Oct. Click Here to Read More →
  1. According to Union Health Ministry,Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Punjab performed worst in the practice of breastfeeding.
  2. The report notes that these states have the lowest rate for breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and complementary breastfeeding from six to nine months.
  3. Further,the States that have topped the report card include Mizoram, Sikkim, Odisha and Manipur.
  4. The World Health Organisation says that if breastfeeding was scaled up to near-universal levels,lives of about 8 lakh children could be saved every year.However,globally only 40% of infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months.
  5. The advantages of Breastfeeding include (a)reducing the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer (b)breastfeeding can prevent neonatal mortality and (c)breastfeeding for six months can reduce under-five deaths significantly.
  6. The report has recommended counselling and practical support to women both during the time of birth and later and linking them to community workers are key to promoting breastfeeding.
Print Friendly and PDF
Blog
Academy
Community