<p><br />Rajasthan has got the first ‘mother’s milk bank’ in north India in Udaipur. This unique milk bank, opened with the purpose of providing mother’s milk to infants whose mothers are not healthy enough to feed them, or have left them orphaned.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The milk bank has been aptly named ‘Divya Mothers Milk Bank’. It has been opened at Pannadhai Government Women and Child Hospital in Udaipur with support of a local NGO.<br /><br />State health minister A A Khan, while inaugurating the facility, said, “Foster mothers and wet nursing have been a tradition in India, and through the adoption of the modern technique of pasteurisation and storage facilities, this milk can be made available to thousands of infants who are deprived of mother’s milk due to various reasons.”<br /><br />“This can act as a life-saver. If more such banks are established in the state and the country, then infant mortality rate can be reduced tremendously.” <br />He said the mother’s milk bank is not only the first in Rajasthan, but also the first in north India. <br /><br />Donation of milk started on Monday, and infants will be fed from Tuesday.<br /><br />Devendra Agarwal, founder of NGO Maa Bhagwati Vikas Sansthan, which is supporting this initiative, said, “We took this step as malnutrition and infant mortality are high. Providing mother’s milk to infants can save the lives of countless babies.”<br /><br />Agarwal said milk will be provided to infants in the intensive care unit of the hospital, infants with life-threatening diseases or conditions, multiple birth babies whose mothers can’t keep up with the milk required to nourish them, and mothers who are on medication that could be harmful to infants. <br /><br />According to the milk bank’s officials, women who can donate milk will be mothers of premature infants, and mothers who have given birth to stillborn, among others.<br /><br />Counselling for donors<br /><br />They will be provided adequate counseling so that they come forward and donate milk wholeheartedly. Even lactating mothers who are nursing their own babies but still have surplus milk can donate. An official said milk donors will not be financially compensated as this is completely a charity. They donate because they know their milk can save the lives of premature or ill babies, added the official.<br /></p>
<p><br />Rajasthan has got the first ‘mother’s milk bank’ in north India in Udaipur. This unique milk bank, opened with the purpose of providing mother’s milk to infants whose mothers are not healthy enough to feed them, or have left them orphaned.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The milk bank has been aptly named ‘Divya Mothers Milk Bank’. It has been opened at Pannadhai Government Women and Child Hospital in Udaipur with support of a local NGO.<br /><br />State health minister A A Khan, while inaugurating the facility, said, “Foster mothers and wet nursing have been a tradition in India, and through the adoption of the modern technique of pasteurisation and storage facilities, this milk can be made available to thousands of infants who are deprived of mother’s milk due to various reasons.”<br /><br />“This can act as a life-saver. If more such banks are established in the state and the country, then infant mortality rate can be reduced tremendously.” <br />He said the mother’s milk bank is not only the first in Rajasthan, but also the first in north India. <br /><br />Donation of milk started on Monday, and infants will be fed from Tuesday.<br /><br />Devendra Agarwal, founder of NGO Maa Bhagwati Vikas Sansthan, which is supporting this initiative, said, “We took this step as malnutrition and infant mortality are high. Providing mother’s milk to infants can save the lives of countless babies.”<br /><br />Agarwal said milk will be provided to infants in the intensive care unit of the hospital, infants with life-threatening diseases or conditions, multiple birth babies whose mothers can’t keep up with the milk required to nourish them, and mothers who are on medication that could be harmful to infants. <br /><br />According to the milk bank’s officials, women who can donate milk will be mothers of premature infants, and mothers who have given birth to stillborn, among others.<br /><br />Counselling for donors<br /><br />They will be provided adequate counseling so that they come forward and donate milk wholeheartedly. Even lactating mothers who are nursing their own babies but still have surplus milk can donate. An official said milk donors will not be financially compensated as this is completely a charity. They donate because they know their milk can save the lives of premature or ill babies, added the official.<br /></p>
