The Institute for Maternal and Child Health (IMCH) attached to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, will have a milk bank from Friday.
According to sources in the National Health Mission (NHM), breast milk will be collected and preserved there. Mothers who do not have enough breast milk can get it for their children there. The facility could also be utilised if children are not able to suck milk properly or if mothers’ breast milk production stops after delivery. Women who are not able to feed because of other health reasons can also make use of it.
The facility will come up in the building adjacent to the newborn section of the hospital. A fridge, deep freezer, and a special room to collect milk will be there. The collected breast milk will be pasteurised, disinfected, and preserved. Minister for Health and Family Welfare Veena George will open the facility on Friday. The NHM has allocated ₹38.62 lakh for the project.
A similar facility, titled ‘Nectar of Life’, was opened at the Ernakulam General Hospital earlier this year. The milk bank at the IMCH is reportedly the first of its kind in government medical college hospitals in the State.
The Minister will also declare open some other facilities in the district. A regional family welfare store to keep vaccines for Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod too will be inaugurated on Friday. Community Health Centres at Ulliyeri and Orkkatteri will get disability management centres. Some other urban family health centres and family health centres will be upgraded and new facilities introduced too.
