As part of the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) celebrations, the Office of the First Lady of Oyo State in collaboration with the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board hosted a community event at the Egbeda Local Government Secretariat on August 6, 2025. This event aligns with this year’s global theme: “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.”
The Honourable Commissioners for Health and for Women Affairs, the Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, the Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition, Baale Oluwo, Chairman of Egbeda LGA, and the Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, among others were among the attendees.
The First Lady of Oyo State, Engr. Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde, supported over 70 nursing mothers at the event with ₦10,000 in cash, as well as 5 kg each of rice, garri, and beans. These provisions aimed to ease the burden on breastfeeding mothers and encourage adherence to exclusive breastfeeding practices.
Dr. Muideen Olatunji, Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, emphasized the need to localize global health priorities by ensuring that women receive not only technical information but also practical support. He noted that breastfeeding remains a low-cost, high-impact intervention in achieving optimal child nutrition.
The Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, in partnership with UNICEF, hosted another WBW commemoration at Oranyan Primary Health Centre (PHC). The event recorded over 220 mothers and caregivers in attendance, each receiving a combination of cash gifts and souvenirs.
These activities also spotlighted the Oyo State government’s forward-thinking six-month paid maternity leave policy, which provides a critical enabling environment for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their infants for the recommended duration.
The Chairman of Egbeda LGA praised the Office of the First Lady for her unwavering support in empowering women, and reinforcing the message that breastfeeding is not only a mother’s responsibility but a community commitment to support maternal and child health.
