Milk Banks Urge Donors: Crucial for Sick Babies

Calls are intensifying to address a significant lactation gap, with healthcare professionals advocating for the expansion of human milk banks and increased breast milk donations. The scarcity of donor milk impacts the clinical needs of vulnerable preterm and sick infants in hospitals, often leading to reliance on formula. Doctors highlight that awareness campaigns and dispelling societal stigma are crucial to encourage more mothers to donate, thereby creating a self-sustaining system.

Hospitals like the Institute of Mother and Child in Kozhikode manage a high volume of critically ill newborns daily, experiencing a persistent gap in milk supply. Similarly, facilities in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam face challenges in meeting demand, receiving limited donations from outside their immediate circles. Initiatives like the proposed milk collection unit at Ernakulam General Hospital aim to bridge this gap, while regions like Lakshadweep lack such facilities, leading to potential wastage of expressed milk that could save lives.