NDP to extend maternity leave to six months

The National Democratic Party (NDP) is promising to extend maternity leave for all workers from three months to six months to enable women to have enough time to nurse their babies adequately.

According to the NDP, the current arrangement where women were given only three months paid leave, was not the best for mothers to have enough time to nurse and bond with their babies in a comfortable manner.

This was contained in a yet-to-be launched manifesto of the party for the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Currently, maternity leave for nursing mothers is three months, many have called for its extension for mothers to have adequate periods to nurse their babies especially as experts advised that six months exclusive breastfeeding for babies was the best to ensure healthy and intelligent children.

The NDP manifesto also promised to set up cancer and kidney trust fund to provide financial and logistical support for patients, to alleviate the plight of people who were diagnosed with those diseases.

The NDP in its manifesto said it had a comprehensive package to give the health sector a facelift, if given the nod come December 7, and mentioned the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, as one of the areas to receive a major boost.