Nursing mothers have been urged to feed their babies below six months with only breast milk devoid of water and other food supplements.

Dr John Ekow Otoo, the Bono Regional Deputy Director Public Health, who gave the advice indicated mothers who failed to do so exposed their babies to illnesses and avoidable deaths.

He also advised parents to stop providing their children with sugared drinks, but give them good balanced diets and nutrition to build their immune systems and enhance their growth and development.

Dr Otoo was giving an overview of the "start right, feed right" campaign at the Regional launch of the campaign held in Sunyani on Tuesday.The year-long campaign targets children from birth to two years and sought to improve on good nutrition among them.

Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo launched the campaign in August 2019, which further sought to create and increase awareness on the importance of breast feeding.

Dr Otoo indicated that stunting and anemia among children had become a national problem, regretting that currently only 43 percent of babies born in the region were being breastfed.

He emphasised it was unfortunate nursing mothers provided their babies with food supplements, instead of taking them through exclusive breastfeeding, which was naturally essential to the proper growth and development that enhanced the well-being of children.

Dr Otoo therefore called on all stakeholders and the media to support the campaign to achieve desire outcomes, and control and prevent infant mortality as well.