THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state capital is set for a giant leap in neonatal care as it will soon have a human milk bank at SAT Hospital. An initiative of the National Neonatology Forum Kerala (NNFK), it is being pursued by the National Health Mission and state Health Department. The setting up of the bank will depend on the success of similar initiatives announced at Ernakulam General Hospital and Jubilee Mission Hospital in Thrissur.
“It is high time we thought about setting up pasteurised donor human milk banks in the state. Given the issues of low birth-weight babies, related mortality and morbidity rates and circumstances in which mother’s milk is unavailable or insufficient, such banks will come helpful,” said Dr Vishnu Mohan, secretary, NNFK.
According to him, of the main reasons for neonatal mortality in the state -- prematurity, infection and birth asphyxia -- prematurity has found to be the leading cause. In cases where breastfeeding is not possible due to varying reasons, infant formula is practised. But it has its limitations. It is in this context that the milk bank will become relevant.
“For the state, it is a new concept. But our neighbouring states have well adopted this scheme and are expanding it. Though the Health Department mulled over such an idea three years ago to establish it in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, it didn’t make much headway due to varying reasons,” added Dr Vishnu. It was in this backdrop that NNFK decided to reconsider the project and set up such milk banks in Ernakulam, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram. While the milk bank in Ernakulam and Thrissur will become operational within three months, it might take another four or five months to set up the same in Thiruvananthapuram, he added.
Meanwhile, SAT Hospital superintendent Dr A Santhoshkumar said, “It will be too early to comment on the project. Though there is such an idea, we are yet to give a final shape to the same. Also, we will have to consider all potential challenges including religious ones.” According to Dr Raju V R, additional director of Health Services (Family Welfare), the concept is being discussed at the government level and a decision is yet to be taken.
Human milk bank
lA facility to collect, test, pasteurise and safely store milk that has been donated by lactating mothers and make it available for infants in need
lIt becomes more relevant when mother’s milk is unavailable or insufficient
lThe milk bank consists of a pasteuriser, deep freezer. autoclave, breast milk pumps and milk analyser
lMilk thus collected could be preserved for nearly three months
Who can donate?
Any lactating woman who is in good health and has enough milk after feeding her baby is considered as an ideal donor l Before donating, the donors have to undergo a series of blood and screening tests