A breast milk bank was inaugurated at the Institute of Maternal and Child Health (IMCH) of the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, in September last year as an experimental venture to ensure the availability of breast milk to every newborn.
A year down the line, it has been able to feed more than 1,800 babies in dire need of breast milk, supplied by around 1,400 lactating mothers.
Newborns often require milk from the bank when their mothers are unable to feed them since they have contagious diseases, are in critical condition, or are not lactating enough. Milk is also provided to newborns who are in intensive care units, or are underweight or have micronutrient deficiencies.
