Kaduna: The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has inaugurated baby creches in key government institutions to promote breastfeeding and support working mothers across the state. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Commissioner for Health, Umma Kaltum-Ahmed, highlighted the state’s commitment to enhancing women’s and children’s health and achieving broader public health goals.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the inauguration is part of the activities commemorating the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week, themed ‘Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create a Sustainable Support System.’ The commissioner emphasized that the new creches, located at the State Ministry of Health, Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna State University, and the State Secretariat, are designed to support women in balancing their careers with their children’s well-being.
Kaltum-Ahmed pointed out that breastfeeding should be recognized as a right in the workplace and advocated for comprehensive support systems, including legislation, infrastructure, and awareness. The creches were established with support from the World Bank’s Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) Project, which also financed renovations and equipment upgrades.
She expressed gratitude to development partners, including the World Bank, UNICEF, Alive and Thrive, WHO, the Gates Foundation, and others, for their support. The initiative reflects a commitment to maternal and child health, workplace dignity, and gender-sensitive governance.
Representing the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Rabi Umar, praised the development partners and encouraged other institutions to adopt similar initiatives. Dr. Zainab Baru, Project Manager for the ANRiN project, added that the creches would help reduce stress for breastfeeding mothers and enhance community nutrition.
In her welcome address, Dr. Aishatu Abubakar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, described the creche project as a significant milestone, noting that it would improve mothers’ productivity by providing them peace of mind at work.