Uganda on right track by investing in breast milk banks

COMMENT | DAVID MUWONGE |  Just as blood donations can save a mother facing complications during childbirth, breast milk donations and ‘milk banks’ are more than able to do the same for a child.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to safeguard child health and ensure survival. Breast Milk provides all the energy and nutrients that infants need for the first months of life and continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one third during the second year of life.

There is therefore an urgent need for breast milk drives, like blood donation campaigns, because not all mothers can provide breast milk to their babies for various reasons, Breast milk is the ideal food for the growth and development of babies, especially during the first six months of life.This makes breast milk and banks vital.

Breast milk banks serve well also as pool points of maternal milk where willing donors who have surplus milk make it available for vulnerable babies. The milk provided undergoes screening for infectious diseases to confirm its safety before being presented to the recipient infant.

These breast banks are of the utmost importance, specifically for premature infants who need specialized nutrition, and safekeeping.

A steady milk supply is necessary for their survival – a demand banks can sustain. Other recipients can include adopted babies and those whose mothers cannot exclusively express milk due to various medical reasons or an inadequate stream.

In areas with restrained healthcare such as refugee camps or during emergencies, breast milk donation is key for the neurodevelopment, and survival of newborns.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) emphasizes that globally, neonatal deaths have decreased by 44% since 2000.

However, in 2022, nearly half (47%) of all deaths in children under 5 years of age occurred in the newborn period (the first 28 days of life), which is among the most vulnerable periods of life and requires intensified quality intrapartum and newborn care. Children who die within the first 28 days of birth suffer from conditions and diseases associated with a lack of quality care at birth or skilled care and treatment immediately after birth and in the first days of life.

It is therefore good to learn that in its continuous efforts to improve the health status and reduce the child mortality rate in the country the government, through the Ministry of Health, aims to increase the number of breast milk banks.

Currently, Uganda has breast milk banks only at Nsambya Hospital, which is home to the country’s first milk bank, Nakasero Hospital, and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.

According to Samali Namukose, Assistant Commissioner Nutrition Division at the Ministry of Health,the government plans to establish breast milk bank facilities in regional referral hospitals across the country. For example, funds have been allocated to establish breast milk banks in Mulago Referral Hospital, and Kawempe National Referral Hospital at the tail end of the year 2025.

This will present a significant and timely milestone for Kawempe Hospital given its location and high rate of births.  The establishment of a breast milk bank at Kawempe is ideal for the health support and survival of infants.

Research indicates that Kawempe Hospital is the busiest labour ward in Africa, delivering an average of 65 babies per day, and is home to the country’s largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which on average accommodates 80 – 90 children at a time.

Ben Okia, a Senior Nutritionist at Kawempe Hospital, emphasized that breast milk is pivotal in lowering infant mortality rates by protecting infants from infections and supporting their healthy development, as it is an essential form of treatment for newborns.

“You will realize that if a baby is not breastfeeding, the baby is at a high risk of getting anemia and other health conditions, or malnutrition in general,” stated Okia.

He further stressed that breastfeeding is foundational to a baby’s health, urging mothers to breastfeed for the first six months, exclusively. However, as the baby grows, additional nutrients are required, and by six months, breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet the baby’s nutritional needs.

Research findings suggest that infants experience growth spurts starting around seven months, which increases their energy demands beyond what breast milk alone can provide. This is why complementary feeding with other foods is recommended after six months. At birth, a baby’s digestive system is said to be too delicate for aggressive foods – a condition breastmilk meets due to its naturally mild composition.

Therefore, introducing other foods too early into a baby’s diet can irritate their digestive system, potentially leading to illnesses such as diarrhea and infections. By six months, the baby’s digestive system has developed enough to handle external foods alongside breast milk.

I am also happy to learn that there is an ongoing effort by the government to train health workers in both private and public medical facilities. Samali Namukose, Assistant Commissioner of the Nutrition Division at the Ministry of Health, confirms this, saying training ensures that they, the health workers provide not only support to mothers but also provide high-quality care in line with infant growth patterns and nutrition needs.

The establishment of additional breast milk banks is a significant leap forward in improving infant health and survival rate in Ugnda. As Uganda continues to expand its network of breast milk banks, the hope is to provide every vulnerable infant with access to the required nutrition they need for a healthy start in life.

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The writer is a communication specialist