Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has said there is no alternative to the nutritional value of breast milk, emphasizing that a healthy nation cannot be built solely through vitamins or food supplements.
He noted that breast milk plays a unique and long-term role in the physical and mental development of children.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of National Nutrition Week 2026, held on Wednesday at the auditorium of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital.
Addressing the gathering, the minister remarked that life cannot be sustained by merely consuming a vitamin pill or a file of medicine. He described breast milk as a natural nutrient that builds a child’s body structure with lasting effects.
Shakhawat highlighted that feeding a newborn colostrum (shal dudh) immediately after birth is vital, as it contains essential elements for building immunity.
However, he expressed concern over a growing trend where many mothers are losing interest in breastfeeding.
The minister observed that while rural women still breastfeed their children for up to two years, this practice is declining among urban and educated mothers.
The minister recommended that children should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, followed by the introduction of nutritious supplementary foods alongside breast milk until the age of two.
He called upon nutrition workers to go door-to-door to create awareness on this issue.
“Everything is not possible through medicine,” the minister said, stressing the need for public awareness through counselling. He defined nutrition not just as a matter of physical health, but as a source of merit and productivity.
Referring to the recent measles situation in the country, the minister noted that complications among children are rising due to malnutrition. Consequently, ensuring the intake of nutritious food and breast milk is essential.
He urged that nutrition messages should not remain confined to seminars or paperwork but must reach the remote areas of the country through the coordinated efforts of government and non-government agencies, nutrition workers, and all stakeholders.
The minister also advised parents to monitor the lifestyle and eating habits of their children.
He urged them to discourage dependency on fast food and instead encourage a balanced diet consisting of vegetables, fish, and meat.
The minister expressed hope that through collective efforts to increase nutrition awareness, it will be possible to raise a healthy, strong, and talented generation.
