MANIPAL: The first
Human Breast Milk Bank
of Udupi, “Manipal Matri-Amrit Milk Bank,” was inaugurated by
Mamatha Devi G S
, Additional Deputy Commissioner and Additional District Magistrate, Udupi District, on Tuesday. The Milk Bank is an initiative of the Manipal Foundation in collaboration with
Kasturba Hospital
and is situated in the Department of Neonatology, which has a tertiary care NICU catering to sick and preterm infants from several state districts.
Mamatha Devi G S stated that mother’s breast milk is like an elixir or medicine for babies. It is crucial for newborns to receive breast milk in their early days as it significantly improves their health. She added that this initiative aims to ensure that more infants benefit from the vital nutrients found in breast milk, promoting healthier beginnings for the district’s youngest residents.
Dr. I.P. Gadad, District Health and Family Welfare Officer, Udupi District, released the educational brochure and said Kasturba Hospital has always been at the forefront of introducing innovative projects to the community. He highlighted the critical need to raise awareness about the importance of breast milk, ensuring that all newborns receive the essential nutrients found in breast milk during their early days. The educational brochure aims to inform and educate parents about the numerous benefits of breast milk, emphasizing its role in providing vital nutrition to newborns.
Dr. Padmaraj Hegde, Dean of KMC Hospital, emphasized the importance of this initiative in promoting healthier beginnings for the district’s youngest residents. He stated that this effort aims to ensure that more infants benefit from the vital nutrients found in breast milk.
Dr. Avinash Shetty, Medical Superintendent of Kasturba Hospital, said that it is essential to provide the best possible care to the smallest patients and that the Human Milk Bank is a non-profit initiative in this regard. “We also need to educate the community about human milk banks so that more donors come forward,” he added.
Dr. Sheila Mathai, Professor and Head of the Department of Neonatology, gave an overview of
Manipal Matri-Amrit Milk Bank
and said, “Human Milk Banks ensure that the donated human milk is rendered safe for use by recipient babies through a process that follows standard guidelines. At the hospital, we encourage mothers to share any extra milk that they may have, which can benefit our smallest and sick babies.”
The donation of human milk can be done by healthy lactating mothers who are either admitted with their babies or who attend the hospital OPD for routine checkups of their babies. The NICU OPD (1st floor, Women and Children Block, KH) can be contacted for the same.
