Breast Milk Bank Helps Babies Thrive in Nepal
Hundreds of newborns receive the nourishment they need to survive and thrive through a program in Kathmandu supported by UNICEF, the government of Nepal and other partners. But plans to expand the services and reach more babies in need are on hold due to funding cuts.
Nourishing newborns while mothers recover: the Amrit Kosh
New mother Sarita Khatri Tamang holds her baby close as she lies in a bed recovering from a C-section delivery at Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital in Kathmandu.
She has been unable to breastfeed, but her baby is not missing out on the breast milk needed for optimal infant nutrition. Thanks to the hospital's Amrit Kosh — Nepal's first human milk bank — she is able to receive breast milk donated by other mothers.
"At a time when I could barely stand up because I was in so much pain," Tamang says, "it was such a big support for me."
Watch the video: UNICEF-supported service in Nepal provides newborns with donated breast milk
Plans to reach more newborns with donated breast milk on hold due to funding cuts
The milk bank is part of a comprehensive lactation management center established in 2022 by the government of Nepal, with support from the European Union and UNICEF. The center ensures proper nourishment for newborns in critical condition, including many born prematurely. Around 500 babies are supported every month with donated breast milk — the next best thing to a mother’s own milk.
Plans to open or expand similar lactation management units in hospitals across Nepal, particularly in facilities serving large numbers of at-risk newborns, have been put on hold due as recent funding cuts have affected UNICEF’s ability to support these initiatives. Funding cuts have also disrupted other key UNICEF-supported services including breastfeeding support and counseling.
"The demand is still much higher than what the bank can currently supply on a daily basis," says Dr. Kalpana Upadhyaya Subedi, Chief Consultant Pediatrician and head of the Department of Neonatology at Paropakar. “Expanding such facilities across the country would ensure that more mothers and babies receive the support they need, reducing neonatal mortality and promoting healthier outcomes for future generations."
Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for babies, especially for the first six months of life. But breast milk is more than a meal. It also plays a critical role in protecting vulnerable infants from infections and malnutrition.
Nepal faces significant challenges in early childhood nutrition. One in 4 children under age 5 is stunted, and 8 percent are wasted, with limited access to treatment, according to UNICEF. Nearly half of all infants are not exclusively breastfed, and over 1 million children suffer from anemia.
It makes me happy to think that because of me, lives were saved. — Sushila Nagarkoti, breast milk donor
Sushila Nagarkoti is one of the mothers who has donated to the Kathmandu milk bank. "The nurse told me that I was producing a lot of milk and asked if I wanted to donate some; I said okay, since I had more than enough milk for my own child," Nagarkoti says. "It makes me happy to think that because of me, lives were saved."
Learn more about UNICEF programs in Asia
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