As World Breastfeeding Week 2025 ends, the World Health Organization (WHO) is drawing attention to the fact that only 48.4% per cent of infants under 6 months are exclusively breastfed in Pakistan, well below the World Health Assembly target of 60% by 2030. This shortfall results in losses of US$ 2.8 billion annually due to the negative impact of low breastfeeding rates on public health, according to data from Nutrition International’s Cost of Not Breastfeeding Tool.

In Pakistan, low breastfeeding rates trigger over 33 700 deaths, 6.6 million child diarrhoea cases and 2.7 million school years lost annually, according to data from Nutrition International. The country’s expenditure on breastmilk substitutes – which are less healthy for infants – exceeds US$ 888 million annually.

Under the international theme “Prioritize breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems”, and following a recent global joint statement by WHO and UNICEF, WHO reiterated that breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure a baby’s health, development and survival during the earliest stages of life. Breast milk acts as a first vaccine, providing protection against multiple diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.