Northeast gets first human milk bank, 15th in India
Dec 23, 2020
Guwahati (Assam) [India], December 24 : Aiming at providing breast milk for premature, low birth-weight, and sick newborns, besides other needy babies, the first human milk bank in the Northeast has been set up in Guwahati's Satribari Christian Hospital.
"It is the 15th human milk bank of its kind in the entire country. It has the capacity to store the milk of the mothers who are willing to donate, and pasteurised milk for up to six months. This milk will be used for premature, low birth-weight, sick and other newborns. " said Dr Devajit Sarma, Paediatric and neonatal care specialist at the hospital.
Dr Sarma said that breast milk is the best food for newborns.
"To bring down cases of neonatal mortality and mortality below five years of age, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, starting within the first hour of birth, is recommended. In the cases where mothers are unable to produce milk, their babies can get it from this bank," Dr Sarma told ANI.
