More support for breastfeeding could save 820,000 young lives annually, UN agencies say

The heads of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called for greater access to breastfeeding support to both reduce health inequity and ensure mothers and babies can survive and thrive.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the appeal in a joint statement to mark the start of World Breastfeeding Week, observed annually from 1-7 August.