Telangana Governor launches Human Milk Bank at KIMS Cuddles Kondapur

HYDERABAD: Telangana State Governor Dr. Tamilisai on Wednesday inaugurated an exclusive 'Human Milk Bank' at KIMS Cuddles in Kondapur. The need for a Human Milk Bank has emerged because of the huge gap in the demand and supply of mothers' milk, given that many cannot breastfeed their preterm babies because of varying medical reasons. The initiative is expected to save over 400 preterm (prematurely born) babies.

The statistics are rather grim even at the national level. According to official data, premature births have been increasing every year. India reports 24 million births each year, of which 3.5 million are preterm births. Nearly 0.76 million babies die in the immediate newborn period. India shares the highest global burden of neonatal births and mortality.

According to medical experts, early and exclusive breast milk, Mothers Own Milk (MoM)) is the single most important intervention, which can reduce mortality and morbidity in such vulnerable neonates. It contains all the vital nutrients and growth factors that a baby needs for optimal physical and mental growth.

Dr. Aparna C, Clinical Director, Neonatology and Pediatrics at KIMS Cuddles, while speaking on the occasion said "The good sign is that when a mother's milk is inaccessible, especially for a premature baby, donor human milk is the next best option. Realising that there was an insufficient number of human milk banks in Hyderabad, KIMS Cuddles decided to shoulder the societal responsibility with a unique human milk bank of its own."

"KIMS Cuddles has created such a bank to achieve one hundred percent human milk feeding in preterm very low-weight neonates. As part of our regimen, our trained staff screens the donor mothers, counsel them appropriately, screen them for infections, collect milk, pasteurize, screen and distribute milk for babies in dire need," added Dr. Aparna.

The neonatal unit at KIMS Cuddles is expected to cater to nearly 150 newborn babies each month, including intramural and extramural births. Healthy lactating mothers can also volunteer and the hospital will neither force anyone to come forward as donors nor will those who give will be promised anything in exchange.