WHO wants stricter laws to curb sale of breast milk substitutes

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has come up with stricter recommendations to encourage breast feeding of young children.

The UN agency has suggested all its member countries to frame stringent law and not allow any product marketed as a breast milk substitute. Besides, any product for infants and young children should carry messages highlighting the importance of continued breast feeding for up to two years.

The recommendations, made by WHO's secretariat, will be placed in its upcoming 69th World Health Assembly, the highest decision making body of WHO.

"Products that function as breast-milk substitutes should not be promoted," WHO's secretariat said in its report, which is part of the provisional agenda items for the assembly. The health assembly will begin next week from May 23-28 in Geneva to discuss new health related issues and review the progress of the goals set by it last year.

Though India has a national law - Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act - the recommendations by the WHO secretariat may push the government to make it more stringent with increased restrictions on sales of milk substitutes.

The UN agency stated breast-milk substitute should be understood to include any milks (or products that could be used to replace milk, such as fortified soy milk), in either liquid or powdered form, that are specifically marketed for feeding infants and young children up to the age of three years (including follow-up formula and growing-up milks).

According to WHO estimates, the breast-milk substitute business is a big one, with annual sales amounting to almost $45 billion worldwide. This is projected to rise by over 55% to $70 billion by 2019.

Latest official data released under the fourth National Family Health Survey for 15 states show breastfeeding in India is at 47.7%, whereas exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of child is only little higher at 57.5%.

Experts say despite a law curbing sale of substitutes, India has not shown much improvement in breastfeeding because of awareness created by the government.