Human milk banks around the world

Of all the known approaches to saving infant lives, human milk has the greatest potential impact on child survival. (PATH) When direct breastfeeding or mother’s expressed milk is not available, donor human milk is the next best option.

Photo by Samer Daboul

As such, the 2018 WHO/UNICEF implementation guidance on the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative stated that “Infants who cannot be fed their mother’s own milk, or who need to be supplemented, especially low-birthweight infants, including those with very low birth weight and other vulnerable infants, should be fed donor human milk.” The American Academy of Pediatrics, the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition, and other national and global policy groups also call for use of donor human milk as the feeding of choice, if mother’s own milk is insufficient, unavailable or contraindicated. (WHO)

Now, WHO is in the process of developing guidelines on donor human milk banking.

The ISRHML Trainee Interest Group recently presented A Global View of Human Milk Banking with Kimberly Mansen (PATH), Dr. Victoria Nakibuuka (Nsambya Hospital), Debbie Stone (Rogers Hixon Ontario Human Milk Bank), and Dr. Maryanne Perrin (The University of North Carolina Greensboro) which brought to light several, wonderful resources and is the inspiration for  this week’s post.

Let’s take a look at some human milk banks around the world.

This tableau map depicts publicly known human milk banks. If you know of a milk bank that is not shown on the map, you can fill out this form and/or email kamundson@path.org or humanmilkbankmap@gmail.com.

Brazil 

Donor milk banking thrives in countries such as Brazil, where there has been a concerted effort at the Health Ministry level to incorporate milk banks into health policy. (Arnold, 2006)

 

Uganda

In commemoration of World Prematurity Day, Uganda introduced its first human milk bank at Nsambya Hospital on the 26th of November 2021 at Pope Square. [More here.]

 

Canada 

The Rogers Hixon Ontario Human Milk Bank in Ontario has dispensed over 1 million ounces of human milk. The Rogers Hixon Ontario Human Milk Bank is a non-profit organization and a joint initiative of Mount Sinai Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. It is a member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

 

Ukraine 

The first and currently only Ukrainian Human Milk Bank was established in Kiev at the Perinatal Centre where approximately 80 percent of all premature babies in the city are born.

 

South Africa

The South African Breastmilk Reserve (SABR) has set up a total of 44 in-hospital human milk banks in public and private hospitals across South Africa.

 

Vietnam

The first human milk bank in Vietnam was officially opened on February 17, 2017, at the Danang Hospital for Women and Children. This facility is supported by the Vietnam Ministry of Health and the Danang Provincial Department of Health, and is the first human milk bank in Vietnam to be operated within the public health system and to international standards. (PATH)

Take a virtual tour of the bank here.

Also consult:

A call to reinvigorate the International Code Of Marketing Of Breastmilk Substitutes

Last month marked the 39th anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO) International Code Of Marketing Of Breastmilk Substitutes. As the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) reminds us,  “Following the adoption of the Code in 1981, governments have been called upon by the World Health Assembly to give effect to the provisions in the Code through national legislation. So far, UNICEF/ World Health Organization (WHO)/ #IBFAN have identified 136 countries as having Code regulations in place.”

Photo by Andre Adjahoe on Unsplash

You might know that the U.S. is not one of these nations. 

In a timely offering– when formula companies use the crises of the pandemic to prey on mothers and babies– The Network for Global Monitoring and Support for Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions (#NetCode) has developed a toolkit to reinvigorate and reinforce ongoing monitoring and periodic assessment of the Code and national laws. The toolkit offers health advocates an opportunity to connect with governments to establish a sustainable system that will monitor, detect and report violations of national laws. Find it here: https://waba.org.my/netcode-toolkit-for-ongoing-monitoring-and-periodic-assessment-of-the-code/?fbclid=IwAR2PzeROMctrsCJ3ZiG8gah07IXQMhI-3eSn6EqLDhV3-TdGhhmk-IxDzt4

“Formula manufacturers are exploiting the panic and fears of contagion to intensify their aggressive marketing practices,” Patti Rundall writes in the Baby Milk Action policy blog. “In this context, government action to regulate the marketing of breast-milk substitutes has never been greater.”

On May 28, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) launched the virtual 2020 Status Report which highlights which countries have implemented measures required by the Code. [The official launch event can be viewed here.]

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

“Given the important role of health workers in protecting pregnant women, mothers and their infants from inappropriate promotion of breast-milk substitutes, the 2020 report provides an extensive analysis of legal measures taken to prohibit promotion to health workers and in health facilities,” Thahira Shireen Mustafa, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, writes. 

In the U.S. in late March, Baby-Friendly USA released a statement detailing access to adequate nutrition for babies born during the Covid-19 crisis with an announcement explaining that BFUSA  would relax one standard regarding the provision of small quantities of formula upon discharge to formula feeding families in communities experiencing shortages in retail outlets. 

“We did so to ensure that formula feeding families receive essential support during this global emergency,” BFUSA CEO Trish MacEnroe writes. “We did NOT loosen restrictions on interactions with formula companies.”

MacEnroe goes on to write, “Regrettably, some formula companies have interpreted our statement as a window of opportunity to reengage their aggressive marketing tactics with Baby-Friendly designated hospitals… 

“We at BFUSA are appalled that these companies would use the pandemic as an ‘opportunity’ to advance their business interests under the guise of an intent to support facilities during this difficult time.

So, please let us be perfectly clear: Our standards are still our standards. We have not ‘loosened’ our guidelines and we still expect Baby-Friendly designated facilities to shield health care workers, mothers and families from commercial influence, as outlined in the International Code of Marketing Breast-Milk Substitutes.”

Photo by Luiza Braun on Unsplash

In other parts of the world too, companies exploit the Covid-19 crisis. Baby Milk Action documents how one company violates Indian Law with their YouTube channel. Keep scrolling and scrolling and scrolling on Baby Milk Action’s page and you’ll find offense after offense after offense documented in multiple countries. 

In response, there are several documents cited offering guidance on how to navigate avoiding partnerships with these corporations.  Find them here

On an individual level, this is a great time to remind Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs) of our Code of Ethics which states we must “Abide by the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes and subsequent resolutions which pertain to health workers.”