COVID-19: NAFDAC’s fresh guidelines on distribution of breast-milk substitutes

* Warns companies donating palliatives shouldn’t include breast-milk substitutes in packages

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
In view of the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria and its attendant socio-economic and health issues, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has released fresh guidelines for companies producing and marketing breast-milk substitutes in the country.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC, in a statement, related that the regulatory agency had cautioned such companies to not take advantage of the current COVID-19 lockdown to promote their products.

NAFDAC asked companies and individuals who may want to make donations of palliatives at these critical times not to include breast-milk substitutes in their packages.

Prof. Adeyeye, in citing relevant codes of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on marketing of breast-milk substitutes, explained that the fresh directives are to ensure that the health of infants is not compromised at this critical time.

The NAFDAC Director-General encouraged nursing mothers to continue with exclusive breastfeeding, particularly in this period to build a strong immune system in their babies.