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May 23, 2017

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Life-saving milk banks struggling with high costs

Source: Xinhua | 00:01 UTC+8 May 23, 2017 | Print Edition

AS a nursing mother Liang Juan must pump and freeze her extra breast milk, as she often has too much for her 7-month-old infant.

The mom of two had been using the spare milk to make soap or as a fertilizer for flowers. But now, Liang, and mother like her, can ensure their unwanted milk does not go to waste by donating it to help premature and underweight babies.

The “breast milk bank” in Xi’an, run by Shaanxi Provincial No. 4 People’s Hospital, is one of 17 facilities across the Chinese mainland. The donated milk is distributed to infants deemed high risk, giving them a higher chance of survival.

“Donation is better than wasting this precious resource,” said Liang, 33.

Stringent medical tests

Liang said the process to becoming a milk donor was not been straight forward. First she had to submit a full medical history, and undergo a blood test to check for diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.

Once she got the green light, her milk then had to be processed so that it could be despatched to the children in need. The process included the milk being heated to 62.5 degrees Celsius for half an hour to pasteurize it. The milk is then stored at minus 25 degrees Celsius until it is used.

One abandoned infant who gained from the milk bank was an intersex child nicknamed “Nannan.” Nannan was born at 23/24 weeks gestation with severe pulmonary infection. The baby is also allergic to milk powder.

After a month of treatment and consumption of donated breast milk, the baby now weighs 1,900 grams, increased by 400 grams.

“Nannan has ceased vomiting and over all, Nannan’s condition has improved,” said Zheng Fengying, a doctor with the neonatology department and one of the founders of the milk bank.

Since its establishment in May 2015, more than 360 mothers have donated around 260 liters of breast milk to the hospital’s milk bank as of last year, which was given to over 700 infants including 400 premature babies.

“Breast milk is not just a food but also has medicinal properties for vulnerable babies in some cases, providing protection against bacteria and viruses,” said Liu Li, from the Chinese Committee on Children Health.

The Chinese mainland set up its first breast milk bank in Guangzhou in 2013. Other cities followed suit, including Shanghai, Chongqing, Nanjing and Beijing. However, owing to donor and fund shortages, many are uncertain about their future.

Hong Jiangmiao, 27, is another mother who donates her breast milk. When Hong is ready she rings a free number, and a hospital car comes to her home with a driver, nurse and the special equipment needed to collect her breast milk.

Hong has made more than twenty deposits to Beijing’s first nonprofit breast milk bank, which was established in March 2016 by Taihe Maternity Hospital. Taihe offers a home-visit service and donators get free baby swimming class gifts as a result.

“Many people don’t donate because they don’t know there is such a program,” said Hong, who became a mom two months ago.

Expensive hospital costs

Since its establishment, the Taihe non-profit milk bank has attracted 150 donors and collected around 50 liters of breast milk.

Most Chinese breast milk banks are run by hospitals. The cost of running a nonprofit breast milk bank is a huge outlay for public hospitals.

Sometimes, they avoid encouraging mothers to donate at all, Zheng Fengying said.

In Taihe, a bottle of 150ml bottle of breast milk costs the hospital 1,200 yuan (US$174) each. This price covers disposable breast pump, blood test, bacterial culture, pasteurization, storage and wages for staff.

According to Guo Jiazhong, president of Taihe, the private hospital has spent 300,000 yuan on equipment and pays out an annual management fee of more than 300,000 yuan to keep the bank afloat.

“We will not close it, nor will we charge any fees,” said Guo. “Breast milk banks must be nonprofit and continue to help these babies.”

In 2008, 27.6 percent of Chinese babies were breast-fed in their first six months. This rose to 58.5 percent in 2013.

Thanks for these breast milk banks, babies like Nannan, will get the nutrients needed to survive and become like every other fit and healthy child.

Nation


 

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