Breastfeeding in Cambodia could save $137 million annually, with the nation slated to lose $83 million a year due to cognitive losses associated with inadequate breastfeeding, according to research and experts.

From December 22 to 23, Hellen Keller organized a training course, “Reporting and Raising Infants and Children”, where experts pointed out the economic benefits of breast milk.

They said breast milk is rich in nutrients that can help protect children against diseases, help provide physical energy, increase mental health and reduce the mortality rate of about 1,097 Cambodian children every year. In addition, breastfeeding can save Cambodia $137 million annually.

Svay Sary, a nutrition program officer, told Kiripost on Monday that the economic benefits of breastfeeding were found in a study in Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia.

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“This figure [$137 million], we have to think, is not just about buying milk,” she said. “It is thought that when a child is sick, he or she will be taken to the hospital for treatment and [money will be] spent on materials for milk powder as well.”

It was also noted that every dollar spent on breastfeeding will generate an economic profit of $35 million in the future.

Hou Kroeun, Deputy Country Director at Helen Keller International in Cambodia, stated that there are many causes of malnutrition in Cambodian children. This includes inadequate nutrition, such as breastfeeding and supplemental feeding, improper feeding of children according to their age and needs, neglect of childcare, improper hygiene and sanitation practices, inadequate access to health services and behavioral change habits.

He added malnutrition has many consequences for children, families, and society as a whole. In children, malnutrition impairs growth and development (stunting), and mental health, which can affect learning. It can also weaken health, making them more susceptible to other diseases.

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Families, on the other hand, lose money, resources, and time to care for their children. Society also loses human resources, which are the main force in the country’s development and national budget for health services. Cambodia, for example, loses about $250 million a year due to malnutrition.

Research paper, “The Economic Cost of Not Breastfeeding on Human Capital Development and Health Systems in Cambodia”, shows that breastfeeding is one of the best ways in global health to save lives and improve the health, social, and economic development of both individuals and Cambodia as a nation.

In 2012, Cambodia reached a national breastfeeding rate of 73 percent. However, in recent years, breastfeeding rates have slipped. Today, 65 percent of children are exclusively breastfed. Breastfeeding, according to World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommendations, amounts to real costs in human life, quality of life, and national economic outcomes.

Research by Alive & Thrive quantifies the economic toll that inadequate breastfeeding takes on individuals, communities, and countries. There are five key findings in Cambodia about the potential adequate breastfeeding practices has.

Firstly, it can prevent 1,097 child deaths, an important contribution to reducing overall under-five child mortality. Secondly, it can prevent 256 maternal deaths from cancers and type II diabetes. Furthermore, it has the potential to save more than US$1 million in health system treatment costs related to inadequate breastfeeding.

In addition, it can generate an additional US$137 million for the economy, or 0.83 percent of its Gross National Income (GNI), over children’s productive years by increasing cognitive capacity and preventing premature mortality in early years. It can also reduce families’ out-of-pocket expenditures to treat diarrhea and pneumonia.

Decreasing vulnerability to disease can accelerate reductions in child mortality

In Cambodia, 1,097 children’s lives could be saved annually by moving from the current levels of breastfeeding to WHO guideline levels, contributing to overall under-five child mortality reduction.

Breastfeeding also helps protect the health of mothers. If 90 percent of mothers breastfed for two years, 10 percent of maternal deaths due to breast cancer could be prevented annually across the ASEAN region.

Increased breastfeeding rates in Cambodia could prevent 256 maternal deaths from cancers and type II diabetes each year.

Health care costs to treat diarrhea and pneumonia could be eliminated

The current cost to the health care system for the treatment of children with diarrhea and pneumonia and type II diabetes in mothers that visit a health facility due to inadequate breastfeeding is estimated to be approximately $US1 million a year.

This cost could rise dramatically as the health system coverage of treatment for diarrhea and pneumonia increases but could also be reduced with increased breastfeeding practices.

Cognitive losses result in lost wages for individuals

Inadequate breastfeeding impacts a child’s ability to learn and consequently hinders their future earning potential. Cambodia stands to lose $83 million a year due to future cognitive losses associated with inadequate breastfeeding.

Eliminating indirect costs to treat diseases can result in significant savings

Breastfeeding can protect about 500,000 Cambodian children from diarrhea and pneumonia annually. When children become ill due to diarrhea and pneumonia caused by inadequate breastfeeding, parents often incur costs to take them to a health care facility to seek treatment.

The economic losses that result include lost productivity and transportation costs. Studies from ASEAN countries indicate that families can incur additional lost work and transportation costs up to 25 percent of the actual cost to treat diarrhea and pneumonia.

Eliminating formula costs increases a family’s disposable income

As Cambodia achieves economic growth, increasing disposable incomes will attract companies to market their breastmilk substitute products to mothers to feed their children. The cost to purchase economy brand infant formula can be significant for families compared to breastmilk, which is free, safe, and hygienic for all babies.

The real example of expenditure on baby milk powder and curing health

On the same day of the training course on "Reporting and raising infants and children" organized by Helen Keller INTL organization, Chan Phalkun told how her child was affected by false formular milk powder.

Chan Phalkun speaks at Hellen Keller seminar in Phnom Penh. Picture: supplied

She has showed regret and the huge amount on expenditure overall to buy the milk powder and money spent on medical expenses, blood tests, routine health check-ups, immunosuppressive medication costs, nutrition, and other indirect costs after finding that her baby has a serious health problem due to substandard formula of milk powder.

In total, she paid about $3,956 as a result.

Through the efforts of the Royal Government of Cambodia and related partners, the malnutrition rate has fallen from 40 percent in 2010 to 32 percent in 2014. However, the rate is now stagnant. The Royal Government of Cambodia, stakeholders and communities need to cooperate more on this issue and implement a consistent nutrition policy to achieve better results.

To realize essential health and economic benefits, Cambodia must invest to scale-up breastfeeding at a national level. Policymakers should move quickly to adopt, strengthen, and implement policies to support all mothers to properly breastfeed to WHO-recommended guidelines.