Prashanth Hospitals Launches ‘Prashanth Human Milk Bank’ For Preterm Babies

Chennai, 2024: Taking a significant leap in spreading awareness about breastfeeding and easing the accessibility of nutritious human milk for preterm babies, Prashanth Hospitals, a leading multi-specialty hospital chain in Chennai, today inaugurated the ‘Prashanth Human Milk Bank’ at its Velachery facility. The state-of-the-art human milk bank, with its advanced facilities and technologies, will serve as a crucial resource in supporting the health and development of preterm babies. The human milk bank was inaugurated by Dr. J. Kumutha, Dean of Saveetha Medical College, and Dr. Rema Chandramohan, Director of the Institute of Child Health at Madras Medical College, in the presence of Dr. K. Gita, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Prashanth Hospitals – Chetpet, Dr. T. Vijayakumar, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Prashanth Hospitals, Velachery, and Dr. V. Prakash, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Prashanth Hospitals – Velachery and Kolathur.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. Geetha Haripriya, Chairperson of Prashanth Group of Hospitals, said, “The establishment of the Prashanth Human Milk Bank is a significant milestone in our mission to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions. Our commitment is to ensure that every preterm baby receives the best possible start in life. Prashanth Human Milk Bank will facilitate donations from lactating mothers, creating a supportive community that values the importance of breast milk in neonatal care. We plan to donate collected human milk to various hospitals and neonatal care facilities in the city, extending our reach and impact on infant health.”

Equipped with world-class pasteurizers, deep freezers, breast pumps, and thawing equipment, Prashanth Human Milk Bank will serve as a vital resource designed to provide essential nutrition to preterm babies across hospitals and neonatal care facilities in Chennai. By collecting, pasteurizing, and storing human milk, the milk bank aims to bridge the gap for mothers who are unable to provide sufficient breast milk for their infants. The human milk bank, a brainchild of Dr. Geetha Haripriya, has been designed and developed to ensure the highest quality and safety of donated human milk.

Adding to this, Dr. J. Kumutha, Dean of Saveetha Medical College, said, “I would like to congratulate the team of doctors at Prashanth Hospitals for starting a novel and life-saving initiative. All newborns deserve a happy and healthy start; Prashanth Human Milk Bank will truly make a difference to critically ill babies, and I welcome lactating mothers to come forward and join the community to help such babies in need.”

Dr. Rema Chandramohan, Director of the Institute of Child Health at Madras Medical College, said, “Breastfeeding has remarkable benefits and is foundational for a healthy lifestyle for any baby. I am happy to see Prashanth Hospitals coming forward to set up and start a Human Milk Bank that will make a significant difference in the lives of many newborn, preterm babies. I offer my sincere gratitude to Prashanth Hospitals for this novel initiative.” Prashanth Human Milk Bank was launched in commemoration of World Breastfeeding Week (1^st August-7th August). The hospital also plans to conduct several awareness activities and sessions across its three facilities in Chennai under the theme “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding,”focusing on supporting young new parents in their breastfeeding journey during the breastfeeding week.