Shashi Tharoor Calls For Paid Maternity Leave To Improve Breastfeeding Rates
MP Shashi Tharoor has called for mandatory paid maternity leave to address the declining rates of exclusive breastfeeding in India. He argues that economic necessity forces women in the unorganized sector to return to work too soon, preventing them from meeting infant health guidelines.
Why it matters
The proposal links labor rights and economic policy to public health outcomes for infants in the world's most populous nation.
Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday raised concerns over the sharp decline in Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) for infants under six months across India as women in rural areas return to work sites within weeks after delivery to earn their livelihood.In a post on X addressed to Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, Tharoor cited data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6). Tharoor noted that while institutional deliveries in India have reached 90.6%, exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months dropped from 63.7% to 55.8%."A curious data point, and what it might mean: According to the latest NFHS-6 data, while institutional deliveries in our country have soared to an impressive 90.6%, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates for infants under six months have sharply declined from 63.7% to 55.8%.
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