Breast milk is more than just nutrition; it is a lifeline. 

Recognised as an optimal source of nourishment for infants, breastfeeding is described by global health experts as one of the most powerful interventions to save lives, strengthen families, and promote healthy development. 

According to the World Health Organisation, increasing breastfeeding practices could prevent an estimated 820,000 child deaths each year among children under five worldwide.

The Chief Health Programme Officer for the Food and Nutrition subdivision in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Marjorie Van Wyk, states that the impact is even greater in regions like Southern Africa, where malnutrition and health inequities remain significant challenges. 

Van Wyk emphasised that to protect this life-saving practice, the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981.

 She added that the Code is not just a policy framework but a global commitment to shield parents and caregivers from misleading marketing and to ensure that breastfeeding remains the first choice for infant nutrition. 

Nonetheless, she notes that implementation gaps still exist. 

In the SADC, five countries – Angola, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius and Namibia – have yet to establish legal measures to enforce the Code. 

She explained that exclusive breastfeeding rates in several SADC countries remain below 50% during the critical first six months of life.