Minister urges mothers to breastfeed, warns formula milk ‘pressures’ economy

• Government committed to effective breastfeeding legislation: Minister
• A national awareness campaign will be launched, says Dr Bharath.
• “Formula milk and baby food worth over 110 billion rupees consumed in Pakistan”

National Health Services Minister Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath said breast milk is the best choice for infants, noting that formula milk, consumed due to lack of breastfeeding, is an additional burden on the economy.

Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad, Dr Bharath said that the federal government is taking serious steps to support child nutrition in the country.

“The best source of nutrition for infants is mother’s milk,” reiterated the Minister of State.

Dr Bharath also mentioned the need to educate MPs on the issue, adding that the government is committed to enacting effective legislation on breastfeeding.

He said an awareness initiative targeting women would also be launched at the national level.

Pakistan consumes more than 110 billion rupees worth of formula milk and baby food every year, according to health officials and experts.

The country’s poor breastfeeding practices have huge health and economic consequences. According to the World Health Organization, suboptimal breastfeeding contributes to almost 50% of child deaths, mainly from infections such as diarrhea and pneumonia.

Economically, the country loses an estimated $2.8 billion annually due to increased disease, medical costs, and reduced cognitive development.

Although breast milk substitutes are rarely medically necessary, they are often marketed for use in older infants and toddlers, especially in urban areas.

Senior paediatricians and public health experts say this huge gap between actual medical need and consumption volume raises serious concerns about the aggressive and uncontrolled marketing tactics of multinational milk formula companies operating in Pakistan.

With approximately six million births per year and a maternal mortality ratio of 186 per 100,000 live births, only a small percentage of newborns are unable to receive breast milk immediately after birth.

Experts estimate that even accounting for serious maternal illnesses and rare infant diseases, fewer than 2,000 newborns nationwide require breast milk substitutes in the immediate postnatal period.

Nevertheless, the formula milk industry continues to expand, fueled in large part by uncontrolled marketing, health facility promotions, and distribution practices that blur the line between medical necessity and consumer convenience.

Seven MNCs currently dominate Pakistan’s infant formula market. These companies are lobbying the Sindh government to water down the Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding and Young Child Nutrition Act 2023, while pushing to prevent similar laws at the federal and provincial levels.