Breastfeeding week 2020: ‘No scientific evidence dey say Covid-19 fit pass to anoda pesin through breastmilk'
As di world dey mark di 2020 world Breastfeeding week for dis Coronavirus pandemic, sabi pipo say no scientific evidence dey to show say mama fit pass Coronavirus disease to her pikin through breastfeeding.
Dr. Omosivie Maduka, wey be consultant public health physician and head of department for Community Medicine for University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital UPTH tell BBC Pidgin say since dis Coronavirus pandemic start, sabi pipo don do plenty research and no evidence dey say Covid-19 fit transmit through breastmilk. Dr. Maduka say, "dis na im make World Health Organisation WHO, UNICEF, NCDC and oda partners wey dey promote exclusive breastfeeding for six months dey recommend say any breastfeeding woman wey get Coronavirus fit continue to breastfeed. Make di breastfeeding no stop because she don get Covid-19. Even pregnant woman sef wey test positive for Covid-19 or di one wey just born, she and her pikin fit stay for di same room and di pikin fit even touch di skin of di mama. Dis one mean say no difference dey for di way we dey treat mothers before Covid-19 and now wey di pandemic dey." Recommendations for effective breastfeeding for Covid-19 mama dem Di Public Health doctor, Omosivie Maduka add say Coronavirus dey spread majorly through respiratory droplets like coughing, sneezing and wen pesin tok so di only preventive measure di protocol strongly recommend na say: 1. Di mama must to wear medical mask wen she carry di pikin and wen she dey breastfeed 2. She must practice very frequent hand hygiene wey mean say she must wash her hands before she carry di pikin, before she breastfeed and after she breastfeed finish. 3. She must also observe cough etiquette so she no go cough for di pikin face but she fit cough for her elbow or inside tissue paper wey she go troway properly and immediately wash her hands after. 4. For mama wey dey very sick sake of di Coronavirus, make she get caregiver wey go help support her to care for di Pikin and help her express breastmilk wey dem go give di pikin. Di caregiver must also wear medical mask, maintain one meter distance between di mama, practice frequent hand hygiene and wear hand glove to troway any waste and wash hand after she safely comot di glove. Within dis Covid-19 pandemic, from May 2020 wen UPTH open di treatment centre, Dr. Maduka say dem bin get five pregnant women wey test positive for Coronavirus and two of dem deliver dia pikin, one through operation, cesarean section and di oda one deliver normally and di two of dem breastfeed dia pikin even wen dem dey take treatment and dem recover well dem don discharge dem and di pikin dem dey do well. 'No stigmatise breastfeeding mama wey get Coronavirus' Dr. Omosivie Maduka say di first support wey family and friends give mama wey get Coronavirus na for dem not to stigmatise her. Make dem no give negative advice or discourage her from breastfeeding. Den for dem to be good caregivers wey go help her care for di pikin, give her plenty water,fruits and food and also carefully and properly dispose any waste and also protect demsefs too by wearing medical mask and observe all di oda safety measures Di theme for di 2020 World Breastfeeding week na Breastfeeding and a sustainable and healthier planet and mama dem wey get coronavirus dey encouraged to continue to breastfeed as naim di pikin need pass especially for di first six months of life.