Six-month maternity leave will soon be law – Public Health Minister

A symposium focused on the promotion of breastfeeding was held today as part of National Breastfeeding Week and it heard Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton saying that six-month maternity leave will soon be part of the law.

According to GINA, the minister said, “Breastfeeding is everybody’s business” and that the implementation of the six-month maternity leave is soon to be part of Guyana’s legislation.

Dr. William Adu-Krow, Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Country representative said that the organisation will continue to play its role in the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding. Dr. Adu-Krow also urged for at least six weeks paternity leave for fathers to assist, and to further support exclusive breastfeeding, GINA said.

The PAHO/WHO representative supported the six-month maternity leave for mothers and said that through the bolstering of health information systems, workplaces will be able to better support this implementation.