Statewide Milk Bank Initiative
The Gujarat government is rolling out a comprehensive plan to set up human milk banks in every public hospital throughout the state. This crucial initiative
aims to combat infant mortality and reduce health complications in premature and low-birth-weight babies by providing them with pasteurized donor human milk. A key component of this strategy involves educating and training mothers who are willing to donate their milk, ensuring the safe and effective collection, processing, and storage of this precious resource. This move is a significant step forward in enhancing maternal and child healthcare services across Gujarat, offering a vital lifeline to thousands of vulnerable infants and bolstering support for breastfeeding mothers.
Donor Mothers' Vital Role
The impact of Gujarat's human milk banks is profoundly illustrated by the contributions of everyday mothers. Take Varsha Dabhi, a farmer and mother of a premature seven-month-old, who despite her own anxieties, generously donates her excess breast milk to the Ma Vatsalya Mothers Milk Bank at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Her contribution offers crucial nourishment to other infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Similarly, 21-year-old Sapna Rav, also a mother of a premature baby, shares her milk for other needy children, embodying a spirit of selfless giving. These mothers, from diverse backgrounds, have collectively donated an astonishing 14,966 litres of milk over 18 years, benefiting 37,771 newborns. The amount of milk donated varies, influenced by factors such as diet, socioeconomic conditions, and emotional well-being, as noted by staff nurse Khushboo Jani.
An Educator's Generosity
The dedication to donating breast milk extends beyond new mothers facing NICU admissions. Dr. Sheetal Chaudhary, an Assistant Professor of Botany, exemplifies this commitment. With her second child nearing one year old and no longer requiring all her milk, Dr. Chaudhary, who did not deliver or have her child treated at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, visited the facility to donate milk. Her motivation stems from personal experience; she recalls feeling distressed when her first child didn't receive enough milk, leading her to supplement with cow's milk. Now, with an abundance of her own milk, she actively seeks out milk banks to help other babies. This selfless act underscores the profound understanding that mother's milk is irreplaceable and highlights the far-reaching impact of donor milk programs.
Milk Bank Operational Flow
The sophisticated process within Gujarat's human milk banks ensures the safety and efficacy of donated milk. Lactation counsellors actively engage with mothers in post-natal wards, encouraging donations for vulnerable infants in special newborn care units, as explained by Dr. Geet Gunjana Khaitan. Potential donors undergo rigorous screening for infections; upon clearance and informed consent, they express milk using sterile equipment. This collected milk is then meticulously pasteurized and stored in deep freezers. To guarantee purity, milk samples are subjected to microbial testing both before and after pasteurization. The banks distinguish between 'MOM' (Mother's Own Milk) for a baby's own needs and 'PDHM' (Pasteurized Donor Human Milk) for distribution to other infants in critical condition.
Surat's Pioneering Efforts
Surat stands as a trailblazer in Gujarat's public sector human milk bank network, initiating its first comprehensive lactation management centre (CLMC) in 2008 at SMIMER. This facility, the seventh of its kind in India, has successfully collected 159 litres of breast milk from 3,016 donor mothers through various initiatives, including dedicated camps. The impact is substantial, with an average of over 450 newborns benefiting annually. Building on this success, a second CLMC was established at Surat's New Civil Hospital in 2019. The expansion continued with the addition of centres in Vadodara and Valsad in the same year. Ahmedabad Civil Hospital joined this network in August 2021, significantly increasing the availability of banked milk, holding 47.822 litres as of May 17. Plans are also underway for a mobile milk collection unit in Surat, further extending its reach.
Expanding to Saurashtra
Recognizing the need in underserved regions, Gujarat is extending its life-saving milk bank initiative to the Saurashtra area. Previously lacking any such facilities, the region is set to introduce three new human milk banks. Two are slated to become operational by August this year at Sir Takhtasinhji Civil Hospital in Bhavnagar and Guru Gobindsingh Government Hospital in Jamnagar. Bhavnagar Civil Hospital anticipates requiring between 2 to 3.5 litres of donor milk daily to serve the 2,500-3,500 children admitted annually to its NICU. Rajkot Civil Hospital is also preparing to launch its facility within the next month, with its pasteurization machine already installed and undergoing final calibration. This expansion promises to bring critical neonatal care support to a wider population.
