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Kenya Passes Breast Milk Substitutes Regulation and Control Bill
In September, Kenya’s Parliament passed the Breast Milk Substitutes Regulation and Control Bill. In doing so, the country has committed to adopting recommendations put forward in the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, which aims to guide countries in supporting and promoting breastfeeding as an ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants.
October 25, 2012 - Last update: February 10, 2023
In September, Kenya’s Parliament passed the Breast Milk Substitutes Regulation and Control Bill. In doing so, the country has committed to adopting recommendations put forward in the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, which aims to guide countries in supporting and promoting breastfeeding as an ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants.
The policy creates the National Committee on Infant and Young Child Feeding, headed by Kenya’s Director of Public Health. The committee also includes representatives from Kenya’s Nutrition and Dietetic Services, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, the Nursing Council of Kenya, the Kenya Paediatric Association, national hospitals and NGOs. According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2008-2009, only 32 percent of children under six months of age are exclusively breastfed.
