Breast milk bank a first for Limpopo
The pasteurised milk is kept at room temperature in a sterilised environment
POLOKWANE – Maropeng Maifala, a local mother, says she could not breastfeed her baby long enough as her employers could not extend her maternity leave after she gave birth three years ago.
Maifala is just one of many women in this predicament who will benefit from the Department of Health’s breast milk bank.
Situated at the Mankweng Hospital, the facility aims to help reduce infant mortality among other health predicaments, catering largely to orphaned and sick infants.
Maifala says even though her daughter is healthy, she might have been much stronger if she had access to breast milk when she was younger.
I wish this facility had opened a long time ago as some of us could have benefited greatly from it.
The new milk bank is the only one of its kind in the province.
Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba has encouraged healthy mothers to donate their breast milk to support mothers who are not able to breastfeed, exclusively.
Infants whose mothers are infected with chronic illnesses, orphans and babies whose immune systems are weak due to underlying conditions could be saved by the breast milk donated by healthy mothers.
The donated breast milk will help reduce mortality rates of infants and children under the age of five, and the pasteurised milk is kept at room temperature in a sterilised environment.
Ramathuba says it is essential for babies to grow with breast milk in the early months after birth.
“Exclusive breastfeeding, especially for the first six months of life, can save a baby’s life. Research has proven beyond reasonable doubt that breast milk is good for a baby’s health and there are many other benefits. It is cheap, sterilised and healthy; you don’t have to worry about infection control when you prepare milk using formula, however you have to thoroughly sterilise the bottles and follow the instructions to prepare the formula. Breast milk, on the other hand, easy to transfer, it is healthy and always ready when your baby is hungry,” Ramathuba says.
