Vadodara: Gujarat`s first ever milk bank set
up in Kashiba Gordhanbhai Children hospital here at Karelibagh
here has come to the rescue to many new born babies, who are
deprived of breastfeeding due to several factors.
Dr Arun Phatak, who took a lead in setting up this human
milk bank in this hospital, said the initiative became
necessary after direct breast feeding became nearly impossible
to several new borns due to many medical factors such as
caesarean deliveries and in many cases when infants are
abandoned or are orphaned due to maternal deaths.
Since its set up on June 4, 2000, the bank has been
helping score of little children to get mother`s milk,
irrespective of class, religion and creed, Dr Jayant Doshi,
Hospital Superintendent said today.
About 328 litres of breast milk was collected in 2009 and
905 babies benefited from it, he said.
Explaining the procedure, Dr Bakulesh Chauhan, Head of
the children unit in the hospital said, "At a human milk bank,
breastmilk is collected, pasteurised, tested for any
microbes of diseases and then stored in a freezer at -20
degrees centigrade."
"A strict procedure is adhered to in the collection and
dissemination of the milk. All the standard scientific
prescribed procedures are followed before giving this milk to
new born babies," he said.
The in-house new mothers are the donors of the bank. All
efforts are made to convince lactating mothers to dispel
doubts and misgivings about the process. The nurses always
manage to convince mothers to donate milk during their
stay in the hospital, Chauhan informed.
He said the milk bank assumes even greater significance
in the light of breastfeeding week observed from August 1-7.
PTI
