Singapore has launched its first donor human milk bank programme, which is targeted at helping mothers who cannot produce sufficient breast milk for their sick or premature infants. A collaborative effort between the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and Temasek Foundation Cares, the three-year pilot project aims to benefit 900 babies by recruiting around 375 mothers who are willing to donate their excess supply of breast milk. Managed by KKH, the milk bank will collect, screen, process and store breast milk received from donors while following strict intl guidelines throughout the process – from screening donors up to storing the pasteurised milk. At KKH, up to 80 per cent of the sick infants in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit and special care nursery have to receive formula milk – either exclusively or partially – during their stay, due to a shortage of breast milk from their own mothers. In support of the programme, Temasek Foundation Cares will provide it with a total of $1.37 million in funding over a three-year period.... Continue Reading