Modern lifestyle depriving many newborns of breastfeeding: Health Minister

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has said that changing lifestyles are depriving many newborns of essential breastfeeding, warning that the trend could have long-term consequences for children's physical and mental development.

Speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of World Breastfeeding Week 2026 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka on Saturday (August 1), the minister stressed that ensuring breastfeeding is vital to building a healthier future generation.

This year's global theme is "Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems."

The minister said traditional family practices that once ensured newborns received adequate breast milk have gradually weakened with changing lifestyles. He noted that mothers often face challenges in breastfeeding because newborns are separated shortly after birth, while work commitments and modern living patterns also limit the time many mothers can spend nursing their children.

"Modern lifestyles have brought new health risks. Ensuring that every newborn receives colostrum within the first hour after birth is one of the most effective ways to protect children's health," he said.

Highlighting the importance of breastfeeding, Sakhawat Husain said breast milk remains the safest and most nutritious food for infants, strengthening immunity while supporting healthy physical growth and cognitive development.

He added that a mother's care, physical affection and breastfeeding also play a crucial role in a child's emotional and psychological well-being.

The minister also linked breastfeeding to the country's recent rise in measles infections, noting that malnutrition has left many children more vulnerable to infectious diseases. Expanding breastfeeding, he said, would help improve children's immunity and resilience against such illnesses.

He further voiced concern over unhealthy eating habits, excessive fast-food consumption and the growing dependence on commercially marketed breast milk substitutes, urging families to prioritise natural breastfeeding whenever possible.

Calling for year-round awareness campaigns, the minister said efforts to promote breastfeeding should not be limited to World Breastfeeding Week. He instructed the Institute of Public Health Nutrition, civil surgeons, district administrations and local health authorities to work together in raising awareness across district, upazila and union levels.

Emphasising preventive healthcare, he said ensuring breastfeeding is indispensable for building a healthy, capable and compassionate future generation.

The event was chaired by Health Services Division Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury and attended by Prime Minister's Health Adviser Dr Ziauddin Hyder, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Prof Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas, Director General of Family Planning Dr Jinnat Rehana, and Institute of Public Health Nutrition Director Dr Mohammad Yunus Ali, among others.