Sion Hospital’s breast-milk bank help 10,000 newborns in 5 years

It was the first milk bank in Asia. Dr. Jayashree Mondkar, head of the Department of Neonatology, established the bank in 1989.

Date: August 5, 2024

Over the last five years, 43,412 mothers have donated breast milk to Mumbai’s Sion Hospital. This has helped 10,523 newborns, revealed a data shared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as a part of the National Breastfeeding Month in August.

It was the first milk bank in Asia. Dr. Jayashree Mondkar, head of the Department of Neonatology, established the bank in 1989.

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Sion Hospital provides milk to underweight and at-risk babies each year. Of the 10,000 to 12,000 babies born at the hospital annually, about 1,500 to 2,000 receive milk from the bank.

Breast milk donation is crucial for saving newborn lives, similar to blood donation. It reduces mortality rates in low-birth-weight and at-risk infants.

These donations benefit infants with low birth weights, inadequate growth, and whose mothers face postnatal issues.

Donated breast milk is handled similarly to blood donations. Breastfeeding mothers collect excess milk manually. This milk is then given to babies who are not biologically related to the donor. The collected breast milk is also tested for contamination. If contamination is found, the donor is contacted, and the milk is disposed of. Safe milk is pasteurised and stored at or below -20 degrees Celsius.

Inspired by Sion Hospital, other states and hospitals in Maharashtra are setting up maternity milk banks. In the past five years, 51,214 mothers have received counselling on milk donation. Of these, 43,412 donated around 4,184 litres of milk.

Sion Hospital serves as Western India’s Zonal Reference Centre. It oversees and advises on mother-milk banks in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Daman, and Diu. The hospital helps in the opening of other milk banks in both public and private healthcare institutions.

Donors can contact the hospital at 022-2406-3157 if they want to donate milk. If needed, they may undergo tests and provide a fitness certificate.