WHO and UNICEF say expanding breastfeeding could save 540,000 lives each year
The World Health Organization and UNICEF issued a joint statement to mark World Breastfeeding Week, saying that scaling up programmes that support breastfeeding worldwide could prevent almost 400,000 child deaths and about 140,000 maternal deaths annually, saving more than 540,000 lives each year. They highlighted that breastfeeding supplies essential nutrients, strengthens infants' immune systems and aids cognitive development, while also lowering mothers' risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and type‑2 diabetes. The agencies estimated that every US$1 invested in breastfeeding promotion yields roughly US$59 in economic benefits through reduced health costs and improved education and earnings over the life course. Progress has been noted: the share of children breastfed up to two years rose from 38 % to 50 % over the past five years, and exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months increased from about 37 % in 2012 to over 47 % today, though coverage remains uneven, especially in low‑income and crisis‑affected settings.
Entities: Catherine Russell · Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus · United Nations Children's Fund · World Health Organization
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Combined, the reductions would save more than 540,000 lives each year. (World Health Organization and UNICEF)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months rose from about 37 % in 2012 to over 47 % today. (World Health Organization and UNICEF)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Each US$1 invested in breastfeeding promotion yields an estimated US$59 economic return. (World Health Organization and UNICEF)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Breastfeeding reduces mothers' risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and type‑2 diabetes. (World Health Organization and UNICEF)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Expanding global breastfeeding support could prevent nearly 400,000 child deaths each year. (World Health Organization and UNICEF)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The proportion of children breastfed up to two years increased from 38 % to 50 % over the past five years. (World Health Organization and UNICEF)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Expanding global breastfeeding support could prevent about 140,000 maternal deaths each year. (World Health Organization and UNICEF)