PUBLISHED : 11 Nov 2023 at 05:00
The Department of Medical Services (DMS) is urging mothers to donate their excess breast milk to milk banks to help premature or ill babies who do not have access to their mothers’.
Deputy DMS director-general Weerawut Imsamran said about 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide each year, about one in every 10 new-born babies. He added that the number of deaths of prematurely born infants is approximately one million per year.
In many cases, he said, the mothers cannot produce enough milk for their babies, or they develop complications that make them unable to breastfeed.
Mr Weerawut said donated breast milk is the best alternative to ensure these infants receive all the nutrients.
He said women who want to donate excess milk should consult their doctors or contact the nearest breast milk bank before making donations to ensure the safety and quality of the milk. Breast milk banks are found only in certain public hospitals, including Siriraj Hospital, Ramathibodhi Hospital, both in Bangkok and Srinagarind Hospital in Khon Kaen.
Dr Akarathan Jitnuyanan, director of Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH) under the DMS, said that milk banks have screening processes and storage and delivery standards that ensure safe milk is given to the babies. According to the director, the banks supply milk to premature babies weighing less than 1,500 grammes and ill babies whose mothers cannot breastfeed them.
Donors who want to donate breast milk must be healthy and not be taking prohibited medicines. They must also be willing to undergo a blood test and answer a questionnaire as part of risk screening, he said.