Odisha on Wednesday got its first human milk bank at a government hospital here to cater to newborns whose mothers could not breastfeed them.
The facility as part of an initiative by the National Health Mission was inaugurated at the paediatric ward of the Capital Hospital.
Mothers' milk will be stored in the facility and supplied to hospitals across the state when the need arises, Capital Hospital Director Dr. Laxmidhar Sahu.
"Breast milk is an elixir for newborns. However, some mothers are unable to breastfeed their babies in the initial few weeks due to various reasons. In such situations, newborns suffer. This human milk bank will prove to be a boon in such cases," Sahu told PTI.
The authorities of the health facility would launch a campaign to encourage mothers to come forward for donating milk, he said.
This is the 32nd comprehensive lactation management centre in the country.
The state government was considering opening such facilities at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and the Capital Hospital here.
Capital Hospital Deputy Superintendent Dr. Dhananjay Das said at least two lactating mothers came forward for donating milk on the first day of operation of the facility.
"Our volunteers are motivating mothers for milk donation. It is very simple and does not require several tests as done in case of blood donation. Our responsibility is to preserve milk hygienically," he said.
The first human milk bank was established in 1989 at the Sion Hospital in Mumbai.