MP's First Mother's Milk Bank In Indore's MTH Helps 1k Babies Survive

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh’s pioneering Mother’s Milk Bank, nestled within Indore’s Maharaja Tukojirao Hospital (MTH), is rapidly becoming a beacon of hope and a national model for saving newborns.

Since its operational debut in March 2023, this critical facility has been instrumental in the survival of over 1,000 vulnerable infants. This remarkable achievement is due to the compassion of more than 1,000 mothers who, following dedicated counselling, collectively contributed an impressive 210 litres of breast milk.

The impact on neonatal health at MTH has been profound; hospital authorities report a significant drop in the neonatal mortality rate from 25 percent to a consistent 11 percent, at times even dipping below 10 percent. Concurrently, the discharge rate for newborns has seen a heartening improvement to 85 per cent, signifying enhanced health outcomes for these fragile patients.

According to Prof. Dr. Sumitra Yadav, breast milk is an indispensable resource, particularly for premature babies and newborns with low birth weight, whose mothers are unable to lactate or are unwell, adopted or abandoned children and those facing temporary breastfeeding interruptions or insufficient natural supply due to multiple births. In all such cases, Donor Human Milk (DHM) provides vital nourishment and immunity, serving as a critical bridge until biological breastfeeding becomes possible.

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The very genesis of this bank was a direct response to the tragic reality of numerous newborn deaths in India, often stemming from the unavailability of mother’s milk for the most vulnerable. Recognizing this dire need, the National Health Mission (NHM) strategically selected Indore to establish Madhya Pradesh’s first Mother’s Milk Bank. Housed within MTH, a facility built in 2022 at considerable cost, the Comprehensive Lactation Management Centre (CLMC) officially opened its doors in March 2023, overcoming initial delays caused by the Covid -19 pandemic.

Despite the overwhelming success, the Mother’s Milk Bank has faced challenges, particularly in encouraging milk donations.

Parul Shivhare, the Milk Bank manager, acknowledged that many mothers initially expressed reluctance due to misconceptions, including fears of personal weakness, insufficient milk for their own child or various deeply rooted cultural, religious, and social taboos. However, the dedicated team of counsellors at the bank diligently worked to address these concerns, patiently dispelling myths and fostering a supportive environment that has been instrumental in the bank’s burgeoning success and its continuous supply of this precious, life-saving resource.