80 percent compliance would translate to a savings of $10.5 billion and prevention of 741 deaths each year.
These findings are based on the results of a pediatric cost analysis of “Suboptimal Breastfeeding in the United States” published by Melissa Bartick and Arnold Reinhold in the Pediatrics Journal in April this year.
The analysis shows how much money the nation would save in health care and labor costs if each family breastfeeds their babies.
The CNMI Women, Infants and Children’s, or WIC, Program said the savings are huge.
The program is promoting and showing support for breastfeeding as a significant priority.
As of last year, the monthly WIC reports showed a significant and constant increase in the number of breastfeeding mothers on Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
As a result of WIC’s effort, the CNMI Department of Public Health-WIC Program was awarded as one of the recipients of a $5,000 breastfeeding performance bonus by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its outstanding achievement in improving breastfeeding rates among mothers participating in the WIC program last March.
This means that the CNMI is one of the top 10 agencies that reported improved and high rates of breastfeeding among WIC participants.
Breastfeeding promotes huge savings, benefits for both mother and child and lead toward achieving healthier families in the island.
Breastfeeding mothers or mothers who plan to breastfeed can get more guidance by visiting the WIC clinic at Bldg. No. 25 Upper Navy Hill. See cnmiwic.org or call 664-4084 for more information.
