Pune, August 17, 2023 – The Human Milk Bank at Surya Mother & Child Super Speciality Hospital (SMCH) in Pune has completed a successful six months of operation, contributing to the survival and well-being of more than 500 premature babies.
In India, premature or preterm births pose a significant challenge. In 2020, around 13.4 million babies were born prematurely globally, with India accounting for a substantial portion of 3 million (or 22 percent) of these cases. To tackle this critical issue, Surya Mother & Child Super Speciality Hospital in Pune established the Surya Human Milk Bank. The goal was to provide vital nutrition to premature infants and support their optimal growth and development.
Dr. Manisha Khalane, Lactation Consultant at Surya Mother and Child Super Speciality Hospital, Pune, highlighted the importance of addressing the nutrition needs of premature babies. “Premature births present a challenge for neonatologists, especially in ensuring adequate nutrition for successful growth and development. Breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for the first six months of life, but its unavailability exposes infants to infections and life-threatening diseases.”
The hospital’s NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) serves a crucial role in providing care to 100-120 infants annually with a birth weight of less than 1000 grams. With a daily requirement of around 3 litres of human milk, the NICU emphasizes the use of either the babies’ own mothers’ milk or donor mothers’ milk, eliminating the use of formula milk.
Dr. Amita Kaul, Senior Consultant Pediatrics and Neonatology at Surya Mother and Child Super Speciality Hospital, Pune, shared the inspiring story of Baby Advait (name changed) to illustrate the impact of the Human Milk Bank. Born at just 25 weeks with a birth weight of 750 grams, Advait faced significant challenges due to the mother’s health complications. The Human Milk Bank provided essential donor milk from day 2 of his life. The availability of donor milk played a pivotal role in supporting Advait’s growth and development during the critical early weeks when breast milk’s benefits are most crucial for premature babies.
Advait’s progress showcases how the Human Milk Bank can be a lifeline for fragile premature infants when their mothers face challenges in providing breast milk. The presence of the Human Milk Bank at Surya Mother & Child Super Speciality Hospital has contributed to better health outcomes for NICU babies, reducing their length of stay and promoting cost savings while saving lives.
Through its dedicated efforts, the Surya Human Milk Bank has demonstrated the immense impact of community support and collective action in providing the best care for premature infants, ensuring their healthy growth and development during their critical early stages of life.
