Exclusive breastfeeding among infants aged zero to three months increased from 81.9 per cent in 2024 to 83.8 per cent in 2025 in the Ashanti Region.
Similarly, timely initiation of complementary feeding, which stood at 76.1 per cent in 2024, saw a marginal increase to 76.6 per cent in 2025.
Furthermore, against a regional target of 95 per cent for routine early initiation of breastfeeding, the region recorded 94.1 per cent in 2024 and 94.0 per cent in 2025, while 19 districts fell below the regional average for exclusive breastfeeding among infants aged zero to three months.
World Breastfeeding Week
The Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Fred Adomako-Boateng, made this known during a press briefing to mark World Breastfeeding Week and Ghana Breastfeeding Month 2026 at the Bekwai Municipal Hospital on August 6, 2026.
World Breastfeeding Week is observed globally from August 1 to 7, but the campaign is extended throughout the month of August to deepen awareness, strengthen services and mobilise action. The event was held under the theme: "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works".
He explained that the 83.8 per cent recorded applied specifically to infants aged zero to three months and not the full exclusive breastfeeding rate for all infants under six months. Nevertheless, he said the district differences showed the need to use data to direct supportive supervision, strengthen counselling quality and focus additional effort where performance is lower.
Proven interventions
Touching on proven interventions that needed to be strengthened, he mentioned breastfeeding-friendly workplaces that provide reasonable breaks, privacy and clean spaces for breastfeeding or expressing milk.
He also advocated for the establishment of lactation support rooms in health facilities to help mothers express and store breast milk for infants admitted to the neonatal unit or babies separated from their mothers due to maternal health conditions.
Call to action
He called on health facilities to make skilled breastfeeding support available at every contact, and urged municipal and district assemblies and partners to allocate resources for nutrition and create supportive public and workplace environments.
"Employers should adopt practical breastfeeding support measures consistent with national law and policy," he said, adding that "fathers and families should encourage mothers and share their workload with them to enable them to properly breastfeed their children."
He stated that breastfeeding was not solely a woman's responsibility and added: "When health services, families, workplaces, communities and leaders strengthen what works, every mother receives better support and every child has a more sustainable start in life."
He expressed gratitude to UNICEF, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the World Food Programme and other partners for their support in setting up lactation support rooms in ten selected facilities in the region.
Protection of household income
The Regional Nutrition Officer, Maame Yaa Konadu Adiyiah, said exclusive breastfeeding protects household income that would otherwise be spent on formula and feeding supplies, while also reducing illness-related costs.
She said "investing in nutrition is therefore an investment in healthier families, human capital and regional development" and urged the Food and Drugs Authority to strictly prohibit infant formula advertising in compliance with the Breastfeeding Regulations 2000, Legislative Instrument 1667.
Do not deny breast milk
Launching the week, the Queen Mother of Bekwai, Nana Adwoa Pinamang III, advised mothers against denying their newborns breast milk under the guise of keeping them firm for their husbands.
She further entreated pregnant women to eat well to enable them to have enough breast milk for their children and urged heads of institutions to allow mothers to bring their babies to work to breastfeed them.
In a remark, the Municipal Chief Executive for Bekwai, Salifu Issaka, underscored the need for mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding to ensure proper early development of their children.
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