Mauritius, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), completed a three-day national consultative workshop from 17 to 19 November 2025 to develop its first comprehensive National Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Policy. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in collaboration with technical assistance from WHO AFRO, WHO Headquarters, and in-country partners. Infant and young child feeding is central to the survival, growth, and long-term wellbeing of children.
Although Mauritius has strong programmes such as the National Action Plan on Breastfeeding (2022–2027) recent analyses have highlighted the absence of a unified national IYCF policy. This gap has led to:
• Fragmented interventions across health, labour, education, and social sectors
• Limited enforcement of breastfeeding protection and maternity entitlements
• Insufficient guidance for supporting preterm and low-birth-weight infants
• Variations in feeding counselling and community support
• Lack of a structured response to IYCF during emergencies and disease outbreaks
Given Mauritius’ increasing number of preterm births and the need to strengthen early childhood development, a national policy is essential to provide one coherent, evidence-based framework that protects, promotes, and supports optimal feeding for all infants, including the most vulnerable.
