Source: Daily News
KAGERA women have been advised to breastfeed their babies for at least three years to enable their children have strong immunity against various diseases including Asthma.

Dr Sylvester Luhamba from Star of Jerusalem traditional medical centre, in Bukoba Municipality told reporters that many women, especially those working in public offices, shy away from breastfeeding their babies.

According to Dr Luhamba, a child needs mostly his/her mother's milk right from birth up to three years. "Unfortunately, some of the women don't breastfeed their children thus denying them their basic right."

He noted that a recent study revealed that children, who were fed cow's milk for a long time, were at risk of contracting Asthma.

Asthma is a disease affecting the airways that carry air to and from the lungs. People who suffer from this chronic condition (long-lasting or recurrent) are said to be asthmatic.

The inside walls of an asthmatic's airways are swollen or inflamed. This swelling or inflammation makes the airways extremely sensitive to irritations and increases susceptibility to an allergic reaction.

As inflammation causes the airways to become narrower, less air can pass through them, both to and from the lungs. Symptoms of the narrowing include wheezing (a hissing sound while breathing), chest tightness, breathing problems, and coughing. Asthmatics usually experience these symptoms most frequently during the night and the early morning.

Asthma is an incurable illness. However, with good treatment and management there is no reason why a person with asthma cannot live a normal and active life.

Meanwhile, a resident of Omukariza Village in Ngara District, identified as Mawazo Wilbard (31) committed suicide under unclear circumstances.

The Chairman for Omukariza Village, Manase Rutengama, said the incident happened on Monday afternoon when Wilbard's body was found hanging from the roof inside his house.

He said a bottle of insecticide was found near the body, but it was not immediately established whether he had swallowed the poison before hanging himself using a sisal rope. Wilbard is survived by a wife and three children.

• Tanzania