Vietnam’s first human milk bank reports initial success

The Breast Milk Bank under the Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, the first of its kind in Vietnam, received 140 litres of milk donated by 46 nursing mothers, after two months of operation.

A health care staff instruct a breast milk donor on donation process (Photo: VNA)

Da Nang (VNA) – TheBreast Milk Bank under the Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, the firstof its kind in Vietnam, received 140 litres of milk donated by 46 nursing mothers,including 60 litres used for 136 infants with high risks of malnutrition or infections,after two months of operation.

According to Nguyen Duc Vinh,head of the Ministry of Health’s Department for Maternal and Child Health, thebank has proved its initial efficiency by saving many children facing high risksof fatality in Da Nang city as well as the central and Central Highlandsregions.

This is a good reason for the ministryto consider expanding the model to other health care facilities nationwide, hestated.

Vinh expressed hope that Stateagencies and international organizations continue providing support in financeand personnel training as well as health equipment for the duplication of humanmilk banks, thus meeting people’s demand in the field.

Meanwhile, Mona Byrkit, Mekongregional director of PATH, a US-based international nonprofit organization onhealth care, pledged that the organization will continue assisting Vietnam in financeand personnel training as well as special equipment for the bank in the hope ofproviding safe and nutritious human milk to infants.

Doctor Tran Thi Hoang, ViceDirector of the Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, noted that as many as30 percent of 13,000-15,000 infants born at the hospital each year encounterrisks of malnutrition or infections.

Therefore, the breast milk bankis designed to provide human milk for the caring and treatment of about3,000-4,000 infants each year, said Hoang who revealed that in order to supplysafe milk to the needy, both health staff and donors must strictly follow donationprocedures.

In the coming time, the hospitalwill enhance communications to encourage nursing mothers to donate their milk,thus benefiting infants in Da Nang as well as the central and Central Highlandsregions, she added.

Vietnam’s first Breast Milk Bankis sponsored by the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies and Bill & MelindaGates Foundation, with technical support from a number of non-governmental organizationsthat provide training courses to health care staff as well as assistance in equipmentand communications.-VNA

VNA