Unguja. Despite global health guidelines recommending exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, only 41 percent of infants in Zanzibar are fed solely on breast milk during the period, according to new statistics.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advocates for exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months to support healthy growth and development.
Additionally, just 56 percent of newborns in the islands are breastfed within the first hour of birth, far below the 70 percent target set for 2029.
The figures, drawn from the Ministry of Health’s 2022 data, have prompted calls for increased community awareness and efforts to tackle cultural beliefs and practices that hinder breastfeeding.
Speaking during the launch of World Breastfeeding Week in Zanzibar on August 2, 2025, Deputy Minister for Health, Mr Hassan Khamis Hafidh, stressed the health risks associated with feeding infants anything other than breast milk before the six-month mark.
“A child introduced to other foods before six months is more likely to suffer long-term health problems, including chronic non-communicable diseases,” he said.
“The major challenge remains early initiation — only 56 percent of babies are breastfed within one hour of delivery,” he added.
Mr Hafidh also noted that breastfeeding should begin well before the child is born, with pregnant mothers receiving proper nutrition to build sufficient stores of essential nutrients. He warned that modern dietary habits were replacing traditional foods that support blood production and maternal strength.
“Our diets have shifted away from nutritious, traditional foods to fast foods like chips and ‘urojo’. Good nutrition doesn’t require wealth; no mother who eats traditional foods goes to hospital and is told they lack blood. Eat well, raise healthy children,” he urged.
Mr Hafidh revealed that most mothers delivering in Zanzibar’s hospitals have low blood levels, with Micheweni and North districts among the most affected.
Health experts say breastfeeding boosts immunity, protecting children against diarrhoea, malnutrition, and respiratory infections, while also promoting cognitive and physical development. It is also linked to reduced risks of uterine and breast cancers in mothers, as well as a natural form of birth spacing in the first six months after delivery.
“Breastfeeding is a pillar of national development. Healthy children grow and learn better, ultimately contributing to social and economic growth,” he added. “Investing in breastfeeding is investing in the future generation.”
Mr Hafidh urged families, employers, religious leaders, journalists, and other stakeholders to create a supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers by removing barriers such as unfriendly workspaces, time constraints and social stigma.
Meanwhile, manager of the Department for Integrated Reproductive, Child Health and Nutrition in Zanzibar, Dr Kamilial Omar, said that breastfeeding rates have improved over the years, although targets are yet to be met.
Dr Omar called on institutions to provide breastfeeding-friendly workplaces by allocating time and space for mothers to breastfeed or express milk during working hours.
“Workplaces should allow mothers at least an hour in the morning for breastfeeding and provide designated rooms where they can comfortably feed or receive their babies,” said Dr Omar.
