The civil society organisation alliance on nutrition has been challenged to avert the Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and emphasize breastfeeding messages that are of concern to mothers.

In a training that attracted around 40 trainees, the trainees learnt that breastfeeding remains a challenge as over 90% of children in Uganda are breastfed at some point, the percentage of children exclusively breastfed decreases sharply with age from 83% in infants 0–1 month to 69% among those 2–3 months and further to 43% among infants aged 4–5 months

Civil Society Alliance for Nutrition Uganda has trained civil society organisations to advocate for nutrition. The training of civil society organisations from across the country involved training on issues of breast feeding, iron and vitamin A intake and tips on how to effectively advocate for them.

Addressing the trainees at West Minister Village Hotel Ntinda this morning Esther Nasikye, an advocate for nutrition and maternal issues highlighted the need for best nutrition practices for mothers and children.

Nasikye further appealed to stakeholders to address the nutrition gaps that exist and condemned cultures that deter people from breasting children until they have a name that means that there is going to be a delay in the initiation of nutrients to that child but then also even the education level and empowerment of mothers who lack information.

Uganda Health Communication Alliance coordinator Richard Baguma says the country is facing nutrition related problems that need urgent attention.

The training emphasized the for the civil society organizations’ ability to be able to push for more understanding of challenges of nutrition in Uganda. It also enlightened the need to work together to avert any possible nutritional crisis.

According to statistics from Uganda Nutrition Action Plan, 60%, of the newborn babies are not breastfed in the first six months.