In 2019, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and Alive & Thrive launched a regional campaign to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding across West Africa - the Stronger With Breastmilk Only initiative.

Not breastfeeding leads to more than half a million child deaths annually and costs the world economy up to US$1 billion a day.

Breastfeeding is one of the best buys in global health to improve social, health, and economic development outcomes. Globally, improving breastfeeding practices could save more than 820,000 lives annually—87 percent of them infants under six months of age.