Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain today said there is no alternative to mother’s milk for a child’s physical and mental development.

“There is no substitute for the nutritional value of mother’s milk. It is not possible to build a healthy nation with vitamins or supplementary food alone. Mother’s milk plays a unique and long-term role in a child’s physical and mental development. Strong efforts should be made at the field level to raise awareness,” he said.

He said this while addressing the inauguration of National Nutrition Week 2026 at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery auditorium in the capital.

He said it is very important to feed babies breast milk immediately after birth, as it contains essential components that help boost immunity.

Urging nutrition workers to go door to door to raise awareness about breastfeeding, Sakhawat Hossain said infants should be exclusively breastfed for six months, followed by nutritious complementary foods alongside breast milk up to two years.

He said not everything can be achieved with medicine alone and emphasised the need to raise awareness through counselling. “Nutrition is not only about physical growth; it also enhances intelligence and performance,” he added.

Referring to the recent measles situation in the country, the minister said complications are increasing among children due to malnutrition. Therefore, ensuring adequate nutrition and breastfeeding is essential, he added.

Addressing parents, he said that along with ensuring proper nutrition, attention should also be given to children’s lifestyle and eating habits. Dependence on fast food should be reduced, and a balanced diet including vegetables, fish and meat should be encouraged, he added.

He expressed hope that increased awareness through joint efforts would help build a healthy, strong and talented generation.