Last Updated on October 19, 2026, 3:16 PM AST by Anthony Morris
The Ministry of Health has honored 55 mothers across St. Kitts for exclusively breastfeeding their children for the first six months of their lives. The Ministry of Health honored the mothers during the annual “Thank a Nursing Mom” ceremony on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
The event was hosted in honor of the new mothers who have been breastfeeding their children or did so during the last year. The event is hosted every year and recognises the mothers who have been promoting personal health and the health of their babies.
Lataya Matthew Duncan, who serves as the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) Coordinator and Nutrition Surveillance Coordinator in the Ministry of Health started the initiative in 2021. The programme initially honored a small number of mothers from the community and each health center for their efforts toward promoting good health.
Now the programme has expanded to reach and honor 55 mothers for the year of 2026. This is the highest number of mothers to be recognised in the last six years since the start of the initiative.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Curtis Martin, presented the awards to the children. They were assisted by Nutrition Officer, ChereAnn Weaver. He reinforced the message that “breast is best” and commended the mothers for their dedication to the health of their children.
At the same time, the Ministry has highlighted the important role played by the fathers in ensuring that the mothers feel supported.
Martin also addressed the fathers in attendance, reminding them that although mothers breastfeed, fathers can also play an essential role in their children’s lives through their encouragement, practical help and emotional support.
Health centres were also recognised and presented with plaques in appreciation of their hard work in guiding, encouraging and supporting mothers to continue breastfeeding.
The Ministry has congratulated all 55 awardees, and extended their gratitude to the fathers, families and healthcare teams who support the nursing mothers.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
