In Africa, 5 million children die each year before they celebrate their 5th birthday. So much so that an infant is fourteen times more likely to die in its first month of life than in a Western country.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the generalization of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of a baby's life would make it possible to curb neonatal and infant mortality and save 200,000 lives each year in the West Africa region alone.
In this regard, promoting optimal breastfeeding practices such as initiation within one hour of life and duration for up to two years of age or even beyond could be beneficial for paving the way towards improving well-being from different aspects in all regions.