Uttar Pradesh’s first ‘Mother’s Milk Bank’ opens in Agra

Aiming to ensure that every newborn receives breast milk, which is pivotal for immunity, Uttar Pradesh’s first ‘Mother’s Milk Bank’ was opened in Agra on Tuesday.

This facility will collect, screen, pasteurise and distribute human milk to needy mothers who are unable to lactate, which will help their children grow healthy and protect them from infection.

Senior health officials in Agra called upon lactating mothers to donate breast milk to the bank, in addition to breastfeeding their babies.

The officials stated that the lactarium would provide life support to children deprived of their mother’s milk.

Any lactating mother can contribute the remaining breast milk after feeding her baby to the Mother Milk Bank. The donors can fill the milk in a stainless steel container and keep it in the refrigerator. Then, it can be carried in a cool bag containing dry ice to bring it to the bank. The milk will be screened in the bank to ascertain whether the donor mother is suffering from any kind of disease. After testing, the milk will be cleared for distribution.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arun Srivastava said that the opening of the milk bank is a “significant achievement” toward ensuring the immunity and healthy upbringing of children.

Senior public health expert Deepak J Dawe, who was involved in the establishment of the human milk banks in India, said that mother’s milk can be stored safely and used for a year when kept at minus 20 degrees in the freezer.

He, meanwhile, noted that women from the upper strata of society remain unwilling to donate breast milk compared to people from low-income groups.

Breast milk banks are viewed as a vital part of the healthcare system, and they play an important role in supporting the health and well-being of babies and families.

Source : India Today, Oct 25 2023 by Siraj Qureshi