Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Enugu
The United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) has enlisted commercial bus drivers to join in escalating the breastfeeding campaign, saying that they have a role to play both at home and on the road.
In partnering commercial drivers, UNICEF reasons that since nursing mothers also commute, drivers should encourage them to breastfeed their babies while on the go.
By so doing there would be no interruption in breastfeeding of babies even in situations where nursing mothers are travelling in a commercial bus.
To drive this initiative of breastfeeding in transit, UNICEF enlisted commercial bus drivers in Enugu as Ambassadors to carry out advocacy on breastfeeding as they engage in their business of transporting people.
The drivers under the umbrella of National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW), Enugu State Chapter, got their UNICEF ambassadorial status at one of the events marking the ongoing 2026 World Breastfeeding week.
At the event held at New Haven Primary School, Chime Avenue Enugu, Chief of UNICEF Field Office Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe sent a message to the drivers, underscoring the significance of the partnership with the transport sector.
In the message delivered on her behalf by UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Dr. Ngozi Onuorah, Chiluwe described drivers as moving ambassadors for child survival and development.
She noted that the moving ambassadors would be doing their advocacy by displaying breastfeeding advocacy messages on their vehicles, thereby reminding passengers that breastfeeding remains the best food for every child to start life with.
“Breastfeeding is one of the most effective investments in a child’s future. It provides babies with the best possible nutrition, strengthens their immune systems, supports healthy brain development, and significantly reduces the risk of illness and malnutrition,” Chiluwe said.
She further stated that mothers also benefit from practising exclusive breastfeeding as it improves their health and strengthen the bond between mother and child.
However, the Chief of UNICEF Field Office was quick to point out that “protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding is not the responsibility of mothers alone”.
She stated that breastfeeding “requires the committment of families, communities, employers, health workers, policymakers and indeed every member of society”.
The UNIICEF Nutrition Specialist on her own urged the drivers to ensure that nursing mothers receive best of cares whenever they board their vehicles and to encourage them to breastfeed their babies while in transit, if the baby demands.
She urged the drivers’ union to create breastfeeding friendly environments in their various parks as an encouragement to nursing mothers in promoting healthier growth of babies and their mothers.
The State Nutrition Officer, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mrs. Loveth Onwuzulike, appealed to commercial drivers to engage in breastfeeding advocacy in their various homes and communities.
She said that they should drive the campaign for mothers to imbibe the culture of exclusive breast feeding in their homes by providing for their nursing wives the things they need to thrive in good health.
Onwuzulike warned men to stay away from the breasts of their wives during lactation period, insisting that breast milk remains the exclusive preserve of babies hence there should be no competition for breasts.
The partnership between UNICEF and drivers is already yielding good results as banners bearing advocacy messages on breastfeeding are now displayed on the bodies of minibuses plying various routes in Enugu. Some of the messages read: “Breastfeeding is more than feeding a child. It promotes healthy brains, strong bodies and brighter future”.