Now Reading: Bhopal milk bank saves 750 newborns but low donor rate worries experts
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Bhopal milk bank saves 750 newborns but low donor rate worries experts
Bhopal milk bank saves 750 newborns but low donor rate worries experts
Bhopal's only human milk bank at KN Katju Hospital has helped 750 newborns in its first full year of operation, providing 107 litres of pasteurised breast milk. However, only 16% of lactating…
The Story in Brief
Bhopal's only human milk bank at KN Katju Hospital has helped 750 newborns in its first full year of operation, providing 107 litres of pasteurised breast milk. However, only 16% of lactating mothers admitted to the hospital agreed to donate, citing myths and misconceptions. The bank, established in 2019 at JP Hospital and moved to Katju Hospital in March 2024, became fully functional only in August last year after its pasteurisation unit started. It serves pre-term babies and infants whose mothers cannot breastfeed. Dr Smita Saxena, the bank incharge, said all mothers with excess milk are counselled, but most refuse.
The Indian Opinion
Stories about milk banks often carry a false binary: western medical efficiency versus Indian traditional hesitation. The real picture is more nuanced. Only 16% of eligible mothers at Katju Hospital donated, not because they are stubborn, but because no one took the time to debunk the myths around donated milk. Doctors themselves say counselling happens but "very few agree". The question is not whether India is ready for milk banks, but whether hospitals are ready to invest in sustained community outreach. The number worth watching is donor percentage after a targeted awareness campaign.
Source: freepressjournal.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
