The Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize together with First Lady Dr Tshepo Motspe will this week, 01 August 2019, lead the World Breastfeeding Commemoration event in Kalafolong Hospital, west of Pretoria under the theme: "Empower Parents, Enabling Breastfeeding”.
 
The World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually from 01 - 07 August to encourage exclusive breastfeeding to improve the health of babies and mothers around the world. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until the baby is at least 6 months old, and continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
 
The commemoration coincides with the centenary of Save the Children South Africa, one of the leading independent organisations advocating for care and protection of children, and will be hosted in collaboration with the South African Breastmilk Reserve, SACSoWACH and UNICEF to encourage families, communities and employers to create enabling environments for mothers to breastfeed their babies freely, and breastfeeding mothers to donate breastmilk nationwide.
 
Breast milk contains everything the baby needs for the first six months of life, in all the right proportions. Its composition even changes according to the baby's changing needs, especially during the first month of life.
 

Details of the event are as follows:
 
Date: Thursday, 01 August 2019
Venue: Kalafong Hospital, Atteridgeville – Pretoria West
Time: 10h00 – 14h00