Only 50% of women in the country breastfeed their babies for a full period of 24 months, while 82% of newborns are breastfed for some months, said deputy health minister, Ali Akbar Sayyari. “Breastfeeding for a full duration of 24 months (two years) can prevent premature death among infants, but only 52% of mothers in Iran breastfeed their children throughout their first two years,” he said on Wednesday at the national event for the World Breastfeeding Week (August 1 - 7). Globally, 38% of infants are breastfed only during their first six months of life. The World Breastfeeding Week 2016 focuses on raising awareness of the links between breastfeeding and the Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030) that aim at ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity. Out of the nearly 400,000 deaths per year in the country, 22,000 are children under two years old.
