- Almost half of infants aged 0-5 months in Ghana are not exclusively breastfed
- Breastfeeding rates have shown little improvement over the past 20 years
- A significant number of babies are not starting to breastfeed within the crucial first hour of life
According to the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS), a significant 47.4 percent of infants aged 0 to 5 months in Ghana are not receiving exclusive breastfeeding.
This figure indicates a minimal increase of 0.8 percentage points from 2003, when the rate was 46.6%, reflecting stagnation in exclusive breastfeeding practices over the past twenty years.
Additionally, the survey highlights that 41.8 percent of children born in the two years leading up to the 2022 GDHS did not begin breastfeeding within the first hour of life.
Notably, in Greater Accra, Ahafo, and Eastern regions, more than half of infants missed this crucial initial breastfeeding period, with percentages of 56.2%, 56.1%, and 51.7% respectively.
In contrast, Bono East and Volta regions reported lower rates, with 29.4% and 31.6% respectively.
This data was released by the Ghana Statistical Service in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week, an annual event in the first week of August aimed at emphasizing the benefits of breastfeeding and advocating for improved support and opportunities for breastfeeding.
The theme for 2024 is “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All.”
