The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has called for stronger measures to protect, promote and support breastfeeding as Ghana joins the global community to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2026.

According to a press statement issued on Wednesday, August 12, this year's observance is being held under the theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works”, which urges governments, healthcare professionals, employers, families, communities and development partners to reinforce policies and programmes that have proven effective in improving breastfeeding outcomes.

The FDA said sustained investment in interventions with measurable impact was necessary to maintain progress and address emerging challenges affecting breastfeeding practices.

According to the Authority, breastfeeding remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient public health interventions for improving child survival, nutrition and development.

It noted that breast milk provides the nutrients infants need during the first six months of life and helps protect them against diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections, childhood obesity and other illnesses.

The FDA also stressed the importance of continued breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding up to two years and beyond, saying the practice contributes to healthy growth, cognitive development and long-term well-being.

The Authority said the benefits of breastfeeding extend beyond children, with mothers also gaining significant health benefits.

Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, support recovery after childbirth and strengthen the emotional bond between mothers and their children.

The FDA further linked breastfeeding to environmental sustainability, describing breast milk as a natural and renewable source of infant nutrition that does not require manufacturing, packaging or transportation.

It said promoting breastfeeding could therefore contribute to reducing environmental waste while supporting more sustainable food systems.

Despite progress in Ghana's breastfeeding practices following years of public health interventions, the FDA said several challenges continue to affect efforts to achieve optimal breastfeeding.

These include aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes, changing lifestyles, workplace constraints, misinformation and inadequate support from families and communities.

The Authority said it remained committed to protecting breastfeeding through the implementation and enforcement of the Breastfeeding Promotion Regulation, 2000 (L.I. 1667), which regulates the marketing and distribution of breastmilk substitutes in Ghana.

The FDA said it would continue to monitor compliance, conduct market surveillance, educate stakeholders and work with partners to ensure mothers have access to accurate and evidence-based information on infant feeding.

As part of the 2026 commemoration, the FDA said it would collaborate with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Ubora Quality Institute, the media and other stakeholders on nationwide public education and regulatory enforcement.

The campaign will also highlight innovations such as breastmilk banks, which have been established in some hospitals to make donated breast milk available to babies who need it.

The FDA is urging health facilities to establish breastmilk banks as part of efforts to improve access to breast milk for infants.

The Authority has called on mothers and caregivers to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, practise exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months and continue breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary feeding up to two years or beyond, in line with national and international recommendations.

Government institutions have also been urged to continue investing in policies and programmes that protect and support breastfeeding.

Employers, meanwhile, have been encouraged to establish breastfeeding-friendly workplaces by providing flexible working arrangements, nursing breaks and safe, hygienic spaces where mothers can breastfeed or express and store breast milk.

Healthcare professionals are expected to provide consistent, evidence-based counselling and support to mothers during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.

The FDA also called on families and communities to provide the emotional, practical and social support mothers need to initiate and sustain breastfeeding.

The media, it said, has a responsibility to provide accurate information, counter misinformation and promote positive messages about breastfeeding.

Manufacturers, importers and distributors of breastmilk substitutes have been urged to comply with L.I. 1667 and adhere to ethical marketing practices that protect breastfeeding.

The Authority also called for strong regulatory frameworks and enforcement of existing provisions governing breastmilk substitutes.

The FDA said protecting breastfeeding was a shared responsibility requiring coordinated action across society.

It maintained that supportive government policies, adequate healthcare support, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, informed communities and strong family support could help create conditions in which mothers are better able to breastfeed successfully.

The Authority said strengthening proven interventions would give children a better opportunity to survive, thrive and reach their full potential while contributing to healthier families and a more sustainable environment.