In a proposal that raises serious concerns over commercial exploitation of breast milk collected from mothers in Vani Vilas Hospital, a private company is lobbying for a contract to collect breast milk for free and sell it outside the hospital.
If the proposal is approved by the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), breast milk will be up for sale for the first time in the country.
While the proposal agrees to provide breast milk for free to sick and preterm babies in Vani Vilas Hospital, it will allow the company to sell it at a cost of Rs. 300 for 15 ml, across the State.
Neolacta Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd. submitted the proposal in this regard to BMCRI in May. According to the proposal, the milk will be transported to a “pharmaceutical grade” facility in Jigani, where it will be processed and stored for supply to babies.
BMCRI dean and director P.K. Devadas confirmed that the proposal is being discussed. “The company has submitted a proposal seeking permission to collaborate with Vani Vilas for setting up a breast milk bank. We will study and discuss it before taking a call,” he said.
Exploitation of mothers
Opposing the move, breastfeeding advocates and doctors term it commercialisation and exploitation of poor mothers.
Asha Benakappa, director of the State-run Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, questioned the need for commercialisation of breast milk when every woman can secrete an adequate quantity to feed at least two babies. “Breast milk is tailor made and is specific to individual babies,” she said. “The only way a poor woman can nourish her baby is with her own breast milk at no cost. If there is a market, she may sell it and make her baby a victim of malnutrition and death. This is nothing but exploitation of the poor and this may go the voluntary blood bank way,” she said.
Satish Tiwari, national convenor of Human Milk Banking Association (of India), said that although there are around 25 breast milk banks in the country, milk is not for sale in any bank.
“The first condition for any human milk bank to come up is that it should not be for sale but for sick and preterm babies who are unable to get the required breast milk from their mothers. We have also framed guidelines for setting up the banks and are collaborating with the Union Health Ministry to train and provide guidance to set up more banks in government hospitals,” Dr. Tiwari said.
‘Only cross-subsidising’
Saurabh Aggarwal, Managing Diector, Neolacta Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd., who admitted that the proposal was to sell breast milk to needy babies in the State, said it was necessary to cross-subsidise the facility so that “the company can provide a critical public service and also meet the demand.”
He said in return, the donor mothers in Vani Vilas will receive counselling and orientation about the concept. “It is completely voluntary to donate. We will provide mothers nutrition support to ensure they remain healthy, given they may come from the lower-income strata,” he said. On the pricing, he said: “We are trying to keep the price as low as possible. Substantial costs are involved in screening, collecting, supply chain, processing, and distribution.”
R. Premlatha, Head of the Department of Paediatrics in Vani Vilas, said there was a need for a breast milk bank in the hospital as it attends to nearly 4,000 sick babies a year.
