Lodwar- August 7, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The County Government of Turkana today joined the global community in marking World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated annually from August 1st to 7th, to spotlight breastfeeding as a powerful tool for lifelong health, development, and equity.

This year’s theme, “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” calls for stronger, more equitable support for breastfeeding mothers—across both host and refugee communities in Turkana—through advocacy, community education, and sustained health system collaboration.

The Department of Health and Sanitation convened partners to promote the importance of breastfeeding for maternal and child health through advocacy, community sensitization, and public education activities.

Leading the event, Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health Services, Janerose Tioko, underscored the need for health workers to amplify awareness on the importance of breastfeeding, especially in light of Turkana’s nutrition indicators.

“Breastfeeding delivers a hopeful future not only for children but for societies,” she said. “It reduces healthcare costs, boosts cognitive development, strengthens economies, and sets children up with healthy beginnings.”

She also expressed concern over Turkana’s infant mortality rate, which stands at 29%, slightly lower than the national average of 32%.
In Turkana, the exclusive breastfeeding rate stands at 76.5%, while timely initiation of breastfeeding is at 80.2%. Despite these encouraging statistics, malnutrition remains a significant public health issue, with one in four children severely malnourished and levels of acute malnutrition consistently above 15%.

Speaking on behalf of development partners, Nelson Akutan, Senior Programme Coordinator at Save the Children, emphasized the urgent need for collaboration in tackling malnutrition.

“This week is a powerful reminder of the vital role breastfeeding plays in giving every child the healthiest start in life,” he said, citing the February 2025 Short Rains Assessment.

“Turkana is leading in acute malnutrition in the country, with over 86,000 children under five at risk. These figures are a call to action. As partners, health workers, government, and communities, we must work together to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding,” he reinstated.

Echoing this concern, Turkana West Medical Officer of Health, Joel Lochor, urged families to commit fully to breastfeeding.

“Breast milk is the only optimal food for children under six months—it contains all the essential nutrients for proper development,” he said.

“I call on all mothers to begin breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and to do so exclusively for six months. Fathers must also be supportive, patient, and present during this critical period.”

The County Government has made significant strides in reducing infant mortality through strategic partnerships and community engagement. Achievements so far include the establishment of 1,744 adapted mother support groups, 1,068 girl groups promoting Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), and 30 mother support groups conducting MIYCN activities in Kalobeyei. All these groups are linked to kitchen gardening and soap-making initiatives to enhance financial stability.

The World Breastfeeding Week also featured a vibrant awareness procession, musical performances, and community skits that championed a collective approach to promoting exclusive breastfeeding and protecting child well-being.

CCO Tioko emphasized that the government can not achieve its goals alone, stressing the importance of a collective responsibility approach to empower the public in advocating for exclusive breastfeeding within their communities, ultimately helping reduce infant mortality.”

Present at the event were Dr Joseph Lolepo – Drector, Community Health Services, Calis Elamach – Deputy Director, Nutrition and Dietetics, Sarah Akiru – Deputy Director, Policy Planning, M&E, and Partnership Coordination, and the Turkana West Sub-county Health Management Team.

Partners in attendance included IsraAid, Plan International, Malteser International, ADRA Kenya, Save The Children, AIC Health Ministries, Nawiri, UNICEF, Kenya Red Cross Society, Amref Health Africa, International Rescue Committee, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

As Turkana joins the world in celebrating breastfeeding, the message is clear that in order to safeguard the health of future generations, unity is required to build sustainable, supportive systems that empower mothers and save lives.