St. Francis Hospital Nsambya will have a provision for breast milk donation effective next year.
This is in the effort to sustain the lives of new born babies that have no access to breast milk from their biological mothers due to uncontrollable circumstances.
The donation of breast milk is bound to be made possible through the establishment of a human breast milk bank by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with St Francis Hospital, Nsambya.
According to Dr. Victoria Nakibuuka, the head of the Paediatric Department at Nsambya, the bank expected to store 50-100 litres of milk will keep it safe for the baby’s consumption for more than three months.
This is bound to be used to save lives of new born especially the new borns whose mothers’ bodies have not adopted to natural production.
The safety of the milk is a key issue that will be checked through tests for Hepatitis B, HIV/Aids and Syphilis before a donor is declared safe.
This plant is triggered to guarantee an increased survival rate babies born as premature, underweight and those orphaned at birth. Additionally, mothers who cannot immediately nurse their babies due to being in a critical condition are also catered for.
It ought be noted that any mother that meets the credentials is eligible.
“One can give up to 500 millilitres; depending on the person but any quantity would be acceptable. One thing about breast milk is that the quantity the baby has fed is the same quantity that will be refilled,” said Dr. Nakibuuka.
The breast milk in the bank will be strictly for vulnerable babies and it will be a free service.