Sep 28, Kathmandu - The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has tabled a bill in the Federal Parliament to amend the Mother's Milk Substitutes (Control of Sale and Distribution) Act, 2049.

The proposed changes aim to protect and promote breastfeeding, uphold children’s rights to safe and adequate nutrition, and bring existing legislation in line with Nepal’s federal structure.

The bill would expand the legal definition of a child by raising the age limit from 12 months to three years. The ministry said the change reflects World Health Organization and Codex Alimentarius Commission standards, which recommend breastfeeding for at least two years and regulation of complementary foods through age three.

It also revises the definition of infant formula to cover products designed to meet the nutritional needs of children from birth to three years. Foods intended for babies older than six months would be explicitly defined as complementary foods.