By Shadrack Nyakoe
Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi has become the first public hospital in East and Central Africa to launch a Human Milk Bank.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko launched the human milk bank at the hospital on Friday.
He said the new facility will help end maternal deaths at Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
“I am happy that this project has finally taken off. My County Government is committed to ensure that this project is successful. It is to be emulated by other counties and countries in the region,” Sonko said.
The milk bank at Pumwani Maternity Hospital will be among over 600 human milk banks globally,
Pumwani Maternity Hospital has a capacity of 150 baby cots, with a daily occupancy of 60 infants.
Of the 60 babies born per day, 10 to 12 are in need of donor human milk because they are born prematurely, have low birth weight, have developed other medical conditions, or have no access to their mother’s milk because of illness or death of their mothers at childbirth.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative at Pumwani, Sonko urged health workers at the hospital to adhere to guidelines developed by the Ministry of Health for protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding and access of donor human milk to vulnerable infants.
“Health experts at Pumwani Hospital are now required to ensure that the milk is well screened and free from viruses that can be transmitted to the infants,” Sonko said.
The City Governor further said his administration will also set up a Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Pumwani Maternity Hospital as well as have the facility accreditated as a “Baby Friendly Hospital.”
“Health is one of the pillars in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big 4 Agenda, by increasing access to human milk, we will improve nutrition and health outcomes of our infants,” he added.
Department for International Development advisor to Kenya, Tessa Mattholie, who represented UK High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey at the event, expressed optimism that the initiative which is partly funded by the UK government will help Pumwani Maternity Hospital to end cases of newborn deaths.
“This is the second human milk bank in Africa and the UK government is proud to be part of the initiative. I want to commend mothers who have started donating human milk to the bank, this is a great move that will help save babies especially those born prematurely and those abandoned by their mothers,” she said.