First Shariah-compliant human milk bank launched in Karachi

KARACHI: Pakistan’s first Shariah-compliant Human Milk Bank has been established at the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN) in Karachi to provide pasteurised donor milk to infants who are unable to receive sufficient breast milk from their mothers.

“We are proud to introduce the launch of Pakistan’s first and only Shariah-compliant Human Milk Bank initiative at SICHN. This initiative aims to provide essential nourishment to newborns in need, further enhancing our comprehensive approach to neonatal care,” said Prof. Jamal Raza, Executive Director of SICHN, during the Neo-Life Conference organised by the institute at a local hotel.

Former health ministers Dr. Azra Pechuho and Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, along with experts from Unicef, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and paediatricians and neonatologists from various countries, attended the scientific conference to discuss the best practices in neonatal care and strategies to reduce neonatal and infant mortality rates in Pakistan.

Prof. Jamal Raza emphasized that they have finally established a specialised facility to collect, process, store, and distribute human breast milk donated by lactating mothers. “Once collected, the milk undergoes pasteurisation to eliminate any potential pathogens while preserving its nutritional content. After pasteurisation, the milk will be stored frozen until it is needed,” he added.

“Human milk banks primarily serve premature or sick infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) who may not be able to breastfeed directly from their mothers. Donor milk can provide these vulnerable infants with essential nutrients, antibodies, and protective factors that support their growth and development,” he informed.

In addition to providing donor milk to hospitalised infants, human milk banks may also offer support and education to breastfeeding mothers, promote breastfeeding awareness, and conduct research on human milk and lactation, he added.

Prof. Jamal Raza explained that to make it a Shariah-compliant facility, complete records of the donors and children would be kept at the institute and provided to the parents. He further disclosed that a team from SICHN would be sent to some Islamic countries to receive training to run the Human Milk Bank.

He further disclosed that at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) established by the SICHN at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Karachi, their experts have managed to reduce neonatal mortality by 90 percent. 

He claimed that out of the 10,076 children born at JPMC in the last six months, only 43 died. 

“Pakistan has a neonatal mortality rate (NMR) of 41 deaths per 1000 live births, one of the highest in the world, but our trained staff at the NICU established at JPMC’s Obs and Gynae unit have reduced it by 90 percent. Around 10,076 newborns were received and treated. The rate per 1000 live births of the JPMC unit is 4.2 per 1000 live births for the period of September 2023–February 2024,” he informed. 

Prof. Raza emphasised that SICHN has achieved a significant milestone by treating 175,900 babies, including 3500 neonates, in their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with an impressive survival rate of 86%. 

“Equipped with 52 intensive care unit beds, our facility provides state-of-the-art ventilator support, ensuring the best possible outcomes for newborns in critical condition with zero cost charged to the patients.” 

He said that following the pattern of NICVD, the first satellite centre of the SICHN has been established at Sukkur, which is fully functional now except for surgeries. Within a month of its establishment, SICHN has conducted over 40,000 OPDs, and around 200 children have been admitted to the health facility.

Lauding the achievements of the SICHN, former Sindh health minister Dr. Azra Pechuho assured that the Sindh government would provide all available resources to the SICHN and other such institutions to deliver quality health facilities and reduce child and infant mortality in Pakistan.