As Uganda joins the globe to commemorate World breastfeeding week, ministry of health has revealed that, they have launched and spreading Human breastfeeding banks across different hospitals in the country.
While speaking to journalists in a two days workshop organized by USAID in Kampala on Tuesday afternoon, the ministry of health Assistant commissioner Nutrition Division, Ms. Namukose Samali said, that so far, Nsambya and Nakasero hospitals are the first private functioning facilities and Mbale regional referral hospital being the first government health facility to have the bank.
The USAID Social and Behavior Change Activity (SBCA) project, in collaboration with the USAID, Ministry of Health Uganda, KCCA, and in partnership with including USAID MCHNA, USAID UHA, IBFAN, and the Preterm Infants Parents Network Uganda, conducted a two days journalists’ orientation workshop as part of the activities to commemorate the World Breastfeeding Week.
The ongoing event is part of the SBCA “Obulamu” engagements aimed at promoting optimal breastfeeding practices under this year’s theme; Closing the Gap, Breastfeeding Support for All.
Namukose added that, this initiative aims at helping vulnerable babies who may not get the opportunity of breastfeeding from their biological mothers due to several reasons like; death, abandonment or strange diseases.
She emphasized that human milk is too important in babies’ immunity and brain development.
Namukose added that, the ministry’s vision is to see that the same facilities are spread across different regional hospitals and Mulago National referral hospital so that all babies in need of the nutritious human milk can easily access it.
According to Ms. Namukose, the human milk is donated by good hearted mothers who first under go a sensitization process including medical checks ups to ascertain whether they don’t have diseases like HIV/AID and Hepatitis B.
“Human Milk donors are first sensitized and screened for some diseases like HIV/AID and Hepatitis B, because milk from a mother with such, isn’t safe for donations and the babies”. Assistant commissioner Nutrition Division, Namukose Samali said.
In public hospitals it’s free of charge but in private facilities it is at a fair fee once the doctors establish that you really need it.
“It is none chargeable because the mothers too donate freely, except some minor services in some none government hospitals” Ms. Namukose said.
She said that, any time any mother can donate milk depending on her schedule and the same can be kept for even over a year once in the bank.
Namukose has further cautioned fathers from competing with their babies for breast milk.
“The breast-milk is meant for babies not for adult babies, men should just encourage, support, adequately feed, motivate and or morale boost mothers to offer babies this important diet”. Commissioner Namukose cautioned.
“Much as there may not be any scientific effects of men enjoying breast-milk but I would like to emphasize that men should leave the milk for the babies and not to compete with their children. Namukose appealed.
By Mukose Arnold Anthony.