Minister urges mothers to breastfeed, warns formula milk 'straining' economy

• Govt committed to enact effective breastfeeding legislation: minister
• Nationwide awareness campaign to be launched, says Dr Bharath.
• 'Formula milk, baby food worth over Rs110b consumed in Pakistan'

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

Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad, Dr Bharath said that the federal government is taking serious measures to support children's nutrition in the country.

"The best source of nutrition for infants is breast milk," the minister of state reiterated.

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

He said that an awareness initiative targeting women will also be launched nationwide.

Pakistan consumes formula milk and baby food worth over Rs110 billion every year, according to officials and health experts.

Country's weak breastfeeding practices carry enormous health and economic consequences. According to the World Health Organisation, suboptimal breastfeeding contributes to nearly 50% of child deaths, mostly from infections like diarrhoea and pneumonia.

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

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

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

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

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

Despite this, the formula milk industry continues to expand, largely fuelled by unregulated marketing, promotions in health facilities, and distribution practices that blur the line between medical necessity and consumer convenience.

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