KOTA KINABALU: Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed their newborns even if they have tested positive for Covid-19, says the Sabah Health Department.

       Its director Datuk Dr Rose Nani Mudin said the perception that Covid-19-positive mothers cannot breastfeed is inaccurate.

       “Actually, you can still provide your babies with breast milk either by pumping the milk and bottle-feeding them, or wearing face masks and making sure that your hands are clean before handling your child,” she said.

       Dr Rose Nani said mothers just needed to take extra precautions when carrying and feeding their babies to make sure that the infants would not get infected.

       Infants should be fed breast milk for the first six months if possible, she said after launching the state’s first breastfeeding mothers' support council meeting and opening a lactation room at the state Rural Development Ministry office here on Saturday (March 12).

       At the event, Dr Rose Nani commended the ministry for the initiative and urged other government and private agencies to follow suit.

       She said with the availability of such rooms, mothers with newborn babies can easily pump milk when needed.

       As for cases where mothers were unable to buy breast pumps, she hoped private individuals or companies would introduce programmes to help them.

       On another matter, she called upon parents to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19 and for adults to get their booster shots.

       “This is for our safety and protection. As per statistics, we have less severe cases of Covid-19 and reduced deaths now compared to before vaccination was introduced,” she said.