Given the wide demand-supply gap, public health experts call this a step in the right direction as milk banks are becoming synonymous with premature care.
“Any good Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) will see a human milk bank as an essential service now as it is the next best option after breast milk. If premature babies are given something else or even formula The risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (severe gastrointestinal problem) is very high,” Dr. Dinesh Kumar Chirala, Director, Intensive Care Services, said. Rainbow Hospital, Milk of this facility provides 104 liters of breast milk every month to the children admitted in its branches.
These milk banks – most of which have come up in the past year – chip in when supplies are short and also help the state reduce its infant mortality rate.
“Every time a baby is admitted to the NICU of Nilaufer Hospital from other hospitals in the state, the mother may not be able to accompany the baby. She may not have enough milk. In such cases, human milk Dan comes to the rescue,” said Dr. Santosh CarlettiFounder Director, Dhatri Mother’s Milk Bank.
Currently, the state-run hospital, which treats 150 to 200 premature babies every month, requires around 10 liters of milk a day – each baby needs 50ml to 100ml of milk. “With the milk bank we have been able to supply six to seven liters so far and hope that the entire requirement will be met soon,” he added. The hospital has given donated milk to around 34,000 children in the last five years.
Hospitals say the banks encourage breastfeeding among breastfeeding moms, and they come up with breastfeeding experts and counselors who previously weren’t part of the workforce.
“Most of our donations come from mothers of admitted babies or people visiting the OP. That’s how everyone benefits from breastfeeding counseling,” said Dr. Sai Kiran, principal consultant neonatologist at the Fernandez Foundation.