india

Updated: Mar 26, 2019 11:26 IST

The human milk bank at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU), expected to start issuing units in the second week of April, has begun quality check trials using cow milk. This is being done to standardise the quality of processing and ensure that the units issued are suitable for newborns, said the bank’s nodal officer.

The bank will collect breast milk from donors and after processing samples provide them to newborns who would have otherwise been deprived of mother’s milk due to various reasons. At present, the bank is standardising its processing procedure, which includes screening and disinfecting, checking nutritional value, and storing units in a manner that preserves quality.

“As part of this, the quality of milk stored will be tested for another ten days. This includes samples of mothers’ milk along with cow milk. When we are sure about the quality and consistency of our procedure, we will start collecting mothers’ milk and distribute units to babies in need,” said Dr Sheetal Verma, nodal officer, human milk bank.

A large number of newborns do not get breastfed for different reasons. New mothers who overproduce milk or women who deliver stillborn babies can donate milk to the bank. Mother’s milk contains antibodies that can safeguard babies against fatal infections.

“Although the monitoring team has expressed satisfaction with the quality of our trials, we wish to be doubly sure before we issue the first unit of to a newborn,” said Dr Verma.

The KGMU human milk bank is the first such set-up in the state. Among the first beneficiaries of the service will be babies delivered at the Queen Mary’s hospital. Donations too are expected to begin from the women coming to the hospital for delivery.