Over one lakh children in Rajasthan die before turning one

, Aug 9: About 1.27 lakh infants in Rajasthan are not able to celebrate their first birthday, while 1.05 lakh children die before attaining the age of five years, a state minister today said.

However, the situation can be tackled to a significant extent by the simple practice of breastfeeding children, Rajasthan Minister of State for Women and Child Development Manju Meghwala told reporters. "Breastfeeding should be done for the first six months and complimentary feed should be provided to infants after completing six months," she said.

The facts and figures of child mortality, infection and diseases and the significance of breastfeeding for raising healthy babies were highlighted at the briefing on the importance of breastfeeding and state perspective organised to mark the World Breastfeeding Week-2012.

She said several wrong notions about breastfeeding were prevalent in the society and the state government was seeking the help of elected representatives to counter them in order to evolve an atmosphere conducive to child heath. She appealed to all women with infants to breastfeed them and generate awareness.

PTI