The Health Ministry and the Da Nang Health Department recently jointly launched a pilot breast milk bank project in the city’s Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital.

Donors providing breast milk for infants.— Photo vov.vn

The project aims to provide breast milk to infants for whom breast milk is not available.

The hospital has been chosen to carry out the project, the first of its kind in the country.

The hospital will follow strict regulations for collecting breast milk, such as in the selection and screening of milk donors, milking hygiene and temperature-controlled milk processing, as well as pasteurisation, bacteriological examination and temperature-controlled transport.

The Deputy Director of the hospital, Ms Tran Thi Hoang, said that about 15,000 children were born at the hospital each year, about 3,000 of whom do not have access to breast milk due to reasons of premature birth, abandonment, diseases or being placed in isolation with their mothers who have infectious diseases, she said.

"The breast milk bank will provide milk to fragile infants during the first days of their lives, protecting their immune systems and helping them to fight against illnesses," Ms Hoang said.

She added "The bank also aims to promote the raising of children with breast milk. The presence of the bank will help the community understand that breast milk is an important and precious asset that they should appreciate and save for their children."

If the pilot project succeeds, the model will be expanded into other Vietnamese localities.

(Source: VNS/ Da Nang Today)