Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mukhtar Bharath, has revealed that Pakistan suffers an annual economic loss of $2.8 billion due to the declining practice of breastfeeding, saying breast milk is nature’s greatest gift and the most complete nutrition for infants, yet the tradition of breastfeeding is rapidly fading in Pakistan, posing serious risks to both child health and the national economy.
According to a report, Dr. Bharath addressed a seminar in Islamabad on the harms of formula milk, saying that the government is taking serious steps to improve infant health and nutrition.
He announced that awareness campaigns promoting breastfeeding will soon be launched nationwide, starting from Islamabad. Members of Parliament will also be briefed to help strengthen legislation protecting and promoting breastfeeding.
Dr. Bharath warned that the consequences of not breastfeeding extend beyond children’s health, impacting the economy in the long term. Health experts at the seminar highlighted that around 6 million babies are born in Pakistan each year, but only about 2,000 genuinely require formula milk due to medical reasons, such as maternal death, severe illness, or rare conditions.
Despite this, over Rs110 billion is spent annually on formula milk and synthetic baby foods in Pakistan—a trend experts called “alarming and unnecessary.”
Medical professionals criticized aggressive and unethical marketing tactics by global formula milk companies operating in Pakistan. They claimed hospitals and medical staff are often incentivized with gifts to promote artificial feeding, causing many mothers to feel hesitant about breastfeeding.
Experts warned that this industry is spreading misinformation and weakening Pakistan’s breastfeeding culture. Scientific research shows that breast milk is a “living food” rich in natural enzymes, immune cells, and antibodies, benefits not found in any formula milk.
