First Breast Milk Bank: ‘Amrit Kosh,’ Nepal’s first Human Milk Bank, is a step toward offering low birthweight, premature, and other at-risk neonates baby-friendly medical treatment. At the most crucial moments, it helps babies have access to breastmilk.

The Kathmandu project, which is supported by UNICEF, the Nepali government, and other partners, gives hundreds of infants the nourishment they need to live and grow. However, plans to expand the services and assist more babies in need have been put on hold due to funding constraints. Worldwide, more than 15 million babies are born before their due dates. Premature births in Nepal and other lower-middle-income countries are projected to number 81,000 each year. The risk of death during the first month of life is significantly higher for premature or underweight babies.

Take a look at the video:

Sarita Khatri Tamang, a new mother, is recovering from a C-section delivery. She has not been able to breastfeed her baby in the Kangaroo Mother Care unit at Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital in Kathmandu. But thanks to the hospital’s Amrit Kosh, she can collect breast milk from other mothers. This ensures her baby doesn’t miss out. According to media sources, Sushila Nagarkoti is one of the mothers who donated milk to the Kathmandu Milk Bank.

UNICEF Support:

With help from UNICEF and the European Union, the Nepali government set up an integrated lactation management center in 2022. The center also includes a breast milk bank. The facility ensures proper feeding for severely ill newborns, many of whom are born prematurely. Donated breast milk, which supports about 500 babies each month, serves as the next best option after a mother’s milk.

“Human breast milk is the best source of nutrition. It ensures a baby’s survival and healthy growth,” said Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, head of the Family Welfare Division at the Ministry of Health and Population. He added that breast milk supports brain development. It also offers long-term benefits for both mother and child.

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However, recent budgetary constraints have directly hindered efforts to establish or expand similar lactation management facilities in hospitals across Nepal. As a result, UNICEF has struggled to fund these critical initiatives. These financial limitations have also affected other key UNICEF-supported programs, including breastfeeding assistance and counseling.

Breast milk remains the best food for infants, especially during the first six months of life. It plays a crucial role in protecting vulnerable babies from infections and malnutrition. Globally, exclusive breastfeeding could prevent 13 percent of deaths among children under five. Moreover, initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, in addition to exclusive breastfeeding, can reduce newborn deaths by 22 percent worldwide.

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