Donor milk banks in India provide lifesaving nutrition for vulnerable newborns
Human milk banks across India are supplying screened donor breast milk to premature and abandoned infants whose mothers cannot feed them.
India's human milk banking system, originating with the 1989 Sion Hospital initiative, now operates in multiple cities, gathering surplus breast milk from willing donors. After thorough health screening, medication review and Holder pasteurisation, the milk is allocated to premature or orphaned infants in neonatal units, where it has been shown to lower rates of necrotising enterocolitis and infections. Experts stress that a mother's own milk remains the optimal choice, with donor milk serving as a supplemental or transitional resource when needed.
The banks function without monetary exchange, relying on voluntary contributions and counseling to ensure mothers can still feed their own children. Despite growing awareness, many banks cannot fully meet hospital demand, leading to prioritisation of the most vulnerable patients. Ongoing campaigns by the Human Milk Banking Association of India and NGOs aim to broaden donor pools and improve infrastructure.
Why it matters
Donor milk saves fragile newborns by providing safe, nutritionally rich nutrition when a mother cannot breastfeed.
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