State’s first human milk bank opened

The State’s first human milk bank was inaugurated at the Ernakulam General Hospital by Health Minister K.K. Shylaja on Friday.

The facility will ensure breast milk for newborns who cannot be breastfed by their own mothers, who might be deceased, unwell or unable to produce sufficient milk. The milk, which will be collected from lactating mothers at the hospital, can be stored for up to six months at the bank. Initially, the milk will be provided to newborns admitted at the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital. More hospitals will eventually be part of a collection and distribution network. While around 3,600 babies are born at the General Hospital in a year, 600 to 1,000 babies are admitted to the NICU, said a release.

The milk bank, called ‘Nectar of Life’ and worth ₹35 lakh, was set up by the Rotary Club of Cochin Global in collaboration with the State Health Department. It consists of a pasteurisation unit, deep freezers, refrigerators, breast pumps, equipment for sterilisation and computers. Trained nurses will operate the milk bank.

The concept of a human milk bank was conceived a while ago, and is popular in many countries, but Kerala could make it a reality only today, Ms. Shylaja said, during the virtual inauguration. “Breast milk is important for immunity and the milk bank could help save the lives of many children,” she said, according to a release.