By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 19: The state’s first Human Milk Bank at Dr H Gordon Roberts Hospital has emerged as a vital support system for neonatal healthcare, benefiting 89 vulnerable infants since it became operational.
Established in 2020 and funded by the Rotary Club of Shillong, the bank provides Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM) to premature, critically ill, and orphaned infants whose mothers cannot provide sufficient breast milk.
Data up to April 2026 reveals the bank has registered 120 donor mothers and collected 265 donations. Of these, 193 donations were successfully sterilised, while 72 were rejected following strict screening. To date, the hospital has received 24,425 ml of donor milk and distributed 19,080 ml to infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and ICU.
The bank currently maintains a stock of 5,345 ml.
Hospital authorities stated that the availability of donor milk has significantly reduced neonatal infections and lowered the incidence of Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC) among preterm babies.
Doctors noted that clinical follow-ups show encouraging growth and developmental progress in beneficiary infants.
However, the facility faces challenges, including limited public awareness, a preference for formula feeding, and technical issues. Officials noted that the water bath shaker used for pasteurisation is currently limited to once-daily operation due to recurring technical faults.
Speaking at the World Human Milk Donation Day observance on Tuesday, Additional Chief Secretary Sampath Kumar announced that the state plans to establish human milk banks in other major hospitals. Highlighting the urgency of the initiative, Kumar revealed that only 26% of children in Meghalaya receive exclusive breastfeeding during their first six months.
“Human milk donation is a lifesaving intervention. Celebrating this day is about educating the public on how we can save lives,” Kumar said. He noted that nearly 80% of brain development occurs within the first two years, making early nutrition critical.
Kumar also discussed the Meghalaya Early Childhood Development Mission, which integrates several departments to address child nutrition and maternal care. This includes the Chief Minister’s Headman Fellowship Programme, designed to involve traditional leaders in promoting health awareness.
During the event, Dr K Rapthap from the Paediatric Department explained that the service primarily benefits low-birth-weight and critically ill newborns. She noted that while the first formal milk bank was established in Vienna in 1909, India’s first facility opened in Mumbai in 1989.
To mark the occasion, 50 donor mothers were felicitated for their contributions to supporting vulnerable infants. The programme was attended by Medical Superintendent Dr. Kenneth RL Nongpiur and Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Meban Aibor Kharkongor.
