At least 500,000 babies in Kenya miss out on exclusive breastfeeding each year, putting them at risk of diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea and contributing to preventable child deaths, health experts say.
Only 61 per cent of newborns are exclusively breastfed for the first six months, falling short of the national target of 70 per cent by 2030, according to the Ministry of Health.
The exclusive breastfeeding rate has remained stagnant for a decade, with a sharp rise in bottle feeding from 22 per cent to 34 per cent threatening progress on child survival.
Women in urban areas are initiating breastfeeding of newborns later after birth as compared to those in rural areas, despite breastfeeding being a vital public health intervention.
