Minister of National Health Services Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath said the country’s economy is under additional pressure due to formula consumption, stating that breast milk is the optimal choice for infants.
Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad, Dr Bharath said the federal government is implementing important steps to improve child nutrition in the country.
“The best source of nutrition for infants is breast milk,” the foreign minister reiterated.
Dr. Bharath also mentioned the need to educate parliamentarians on the issue, adding that the government is committed to passing effective legislation on breastfeeding.
He said an awareness initiative targeting women will also be launched nationwide.
According to officials and health experts, Pakistan consumes formula and baby food worth more than Rs110 billion annually.
The country’s weak breastfeeding practices have enormous health and economic consequences. According to the World Health Organization, suboptimal breastfeeding contributes to nearly 50% of infant deaths, mainly due to infections such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
Economically, the country loses an estimated $2.8 billion annually due to increased healthcare costs, medical costs and reduced cognitive development.
Although breast milk substitutes are rarely medically necessary, they are often marketed for use in older infants and toddlers, especially in urban areas.
Senior pediatricians and public health experts say this huge gap between actual medical need and consumption volume raises serious concerns about the aggressive and uncontrolled marketing tactics of multinational formula companies operating in Pakistan.
With approximately six million births per year and a maternal mortality rate of 186 per 100,000 live births, only a small proportion of newborns are unable to receive breast milk immediately after birth.
Experts estimate that even after taking into account serious maternal diseases and rare childhood diseases, fewer than 2,000 newborns nationwide will require breast milk substitutes in the immediate postnatal period.
Despite this, the formula milk industry continues to expand, fueled largely by unregulated marketing, promotions in health care facilities, and distribution practices that blur the line between medical necessity and consumer convenience.
Seven multinational companies currently dominate Pakistan’s infant formula market. These companies are lobbying the Sindh government to relax the Sindh Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding and Young Child Nutrition Act, 2023, while pushing to prevent similar laws at the federal and provincial levels.
