Every 30 seconds a baby dies from unsafe bottle feeding in the Third World
We Can't Let Them Get Away with It!
Boycott Nestlé and Wyeth
Nestlé and Wyeth, two of the World's largest producers of powdered
baby milk, are currently breaking a World Health Organisation Code on
the marketing of breast milk substitutes.
- Nestlé and Wyeth provide free milk to maternity hospitals in the
Third World so that newborn babies are routinely bottle-fed.
- When newborn babies are given bottles, they are less able to suckle
well. This makes breastfeeding failure likely. The baby is then
dependent on artificial milk.
- When the mother and baby leave hospital, the milk is no longer
free. At home parents are forced to buy more milk, which can cost
50% of the family income.
- Because the milk is so expensive the child is not fed enough. This
leads to malnutrition.
- The water mixed with the formula is often contaminated. This leads
to diarhhoea, malnutrition and often death. James Grant, Executive Officer
of UNICEF, has said:
Every day some 3,000 to 4,000 infants die because they are denied access
to adequate breast milk.
- 1.5 million babies die every year from unsafe bottle feeding.
- Breast feeding is free and safe and protects against infection - but
companies know that unless they get babies on the bottle, they don't
do business.
For details and more information,
see
IBFAN's overview.