FDA Calls for Renewed Investment in Breastfeeding as Ghana Marks World Breastfeeding Week 2026

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has called on government, health institutions, employers, families and communities to strengthen proven policies and practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding as Ghana joins the global community to mark World Breastfeeding Week 2026.

In a statement, the Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Manso Opuni, said this year’s theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” is a reminder that achieving optimal breastfeeding outcomes requires sustained investment in interventions with measurable impact and stronger systems to address emerging challenges.

Prof. Opuni noted that breastfeeding remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient public health interventions for improving child survival, nutrition and development.

He said breast milk provides all the nutrients an infant requires during the first six months of life and protects children against diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections, childhood obesity and many other illnesses.

He added that continued breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding up to two years and beyond contributes significantly to healthy growth, cognitive development and lifelong well-being.

The FDA CEO also highlighted benefits for mothers, including reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, support for postpartum recovery and a stronger emotional bond between mother and child.

Beyond health, he said breastfeeding contributes to environmental sustainability because breast milk is a natural, renewable and safe source of infant nutrition that requires no manufacturing, packaging or transportation, thereby reducing waste and supporting sustainable food systems.

While acknowledging Ghana’s notable progress through sustained public health interventions, Prof. Opuni said significant challenges remain.

He cited aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes, changing lifestyles, workplace constraints, misinformation and inadequate family and community support as factors that continue to undermine optimal breastfeeding practices.

The FDA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting breastfeeding through the effective implementation and enforcement of the Breastfeeding Promotion Regulation, 2000, L.I. 1667, which regulates the marketing and distribution of breastmilk substitutes in Ghana.

The Authority said it will continue market surveillance, stakeholder education and collaboration to ensure mothers receive accurate, evidence-based information to make informed infant feeding decisions.

As part of this year’s commemoration, the FDA will work with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Ubora Quality Institute, the media and other stakeholders to promote breastfeeding through nationwide public education and regulatory enforcement.

Attention will also be given to innovations such as Breastmilk Banks, which have been established to make breastmilk available in hospitals.

Prof. Opuni urged mothers and caregivers to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, practise exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continue alongside appropriate complementary feeding up to two years or beyond.

He further called on government institutions to invest in supportive policies, employers to create breastfeeding-friendly workplaces with flexible arrangements and safe spaces, healthcare professionals to provide consistent counselling, health facilities to establish Breastmilk Banks, families and communities to offer practical support, the media to counter misinformation, and manufacturers of breastmilk substitutes to comply with L.I. 1667.

“Protecting breastfeeding is a shared responsibility. When governments develop supportive policies, healthcare workers provide skilled counselling, employers create enabling workplaces, communities offer support, and families make informed choices, we give every child the best possible start in life,” he said.

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