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Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi has launched a new Lactation Management Unit (LMU) to provide essential support for mothers with critically ill newborns in the hospital's Mother-NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). The unit is designed to enable mothers to collect, store, and dispense breast milk, which can be used for up to three months to support the health of their newborns.
Dr. Ratan Gupta, Head of the Department of Pediatrics at Safdarjung Hospital, mentioned that the milk bank is expected to benefit approximately 2,000 newborns annually. Dr. Gupta noted that many parents travel from distant areas such as Palwal, Gurgaon, Faridabad, and Meerut with critically ill newborns, who face a high risk of mortality. According to Dr. Gupta, the milk bank would play a crucial role in supporting these infants during their critical care.
The LMU will primarily assist newborns who are preterm, born before 37 weeks, or experiencing conditions such as pneumonia or respiratory distress, preventing them from breastfeeding. For these infants, the stored breast milk will be administered using a tube, ensuring that they benefit from the essential nutrients provided by breast milk within three months.
The LMU is expected to serve as a vital resource for newborns in intensive care, including those on ventilators or receiving CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) support. Dr. Gupta highlighted that, although there are around 100 milk banks across India, Safdarjung’s LMU would cater to a broader range of infants, particularly those from outside the hospital, in contrast to other milk banks in Delhi, such as those at Kalawati Saran Hospital and AIIMS, which only serve infants born at those hospitals.
Dr. Sandeep Bansal, the Medical Superintendent at Safdarjung Hospital, emphasized that breastfeeding offers significant neurodevelopmental benefits, with studies showing an increase in IQ points in children who are breastfed. He stated that the introduction of the LMU aligns with the hospital’s mission to improve the health and development of newborns.
Dr. Sugandha Arya, the in-charge of the Mother-NICU, shared that India faces a concerning neonatal mortality rate of 20 deaths per 1,000 live births, despite the country having 27 million births annually. She believes that the new facility will significantly reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity at Safdarjung Hospital.
Dr. Arya also highlighted India’s significant contribution to the global preterm birth burden, noting that cost-effective interventions like breastfeeding could drastically reduce neonatal mortality. She explained that studies show breastfeeding could help reduce mortality rates by up to 75%, with the potential to prevent 160,000 under-five deaths in India each year.
The launch of the LMU at Safdarjung Hospital marks a significant advancement in neonatal care, aiming to improve the survival and long-term health outcomes for thousands of newborns and their families. Through this initiative, the hospital hopes to make a lasting impact on the well-being of newborns in critical care.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Dr. Sreelekshmi P/MSM)
