After learning about a very strange concept—breast milk donation system—from a Ugandan online community, I spent the previous three days looking into whether Malawi had a similar practice. I sought information online and from my friends who work in the medical field or anyone who knows anything at all. Unfortunately, I have no real answers to offer; the majority had never heard of it, and the remainder simply had no idea if it existed at all. As far as I know, and they know, Malawi does not have a system for donating breast milk.
Everyone is aware that one can donate blood, kidneys, and other body organs; yet, the idea of donating milk is rather odd. However, it turns out that other nations' government and private hospitals, and non-governmental organizations have well-established breast milk donation programs which seek to help babies and mothers in need.
There are many reasons why individuals, groups, and hospitals seek donor milk. In Uganda, for instance, ATTA, a community for breastmilk donation, emphasized circumstances in which (in addition to the obvious one of a mother's passing), donor milk would be necessary. Among them were, premature births, newborns struggling with their health, post-operative feeding, and any medical condition that would call for milk supplementation.
As for Malawi, there is clearly a gap which needs to be addressed as breast milk has always been in great demand, particularly when you consider the nation's maternal mortality rates. Despite enormous efforts to reduce maternal deaths, many women succumb to death during pregnancy and after giving birth, leaving their newborns orphaned and without a supply of breast milk.
When you look up the maternal mortality rates in Malawi, it gives you a true estimate of a large number of babies who are cut off from their supply of breast milk. It is estimated that for every 10000 live births, over 600 mothers die from mostly preventable causes and Malawi ranks 13th in the world for the highest number of maternal deaths during pregnancy and after birth (Unicef.org,2020). And to that, add the number of mothers who are unable to produce sufficient milk or produce milk at all due to different health problems.
Of course, people in the communities have always had a solution to the lack of breast milk for babies. In circumstances of death, a child is passed over to a relative who is nursing to take up the task of breast feeding the infant. However, this has not always been enough, as sometimes, people fail to find a relative or anyone who might help.
Breast milk alone is sufficient and beneficial for a baby's survival throughout its first six months of life-Unicef.org
A milk donation scheme could save the lives of many babies and help several mothers. It is time for Malawi to set up a system to help newborns and mothers in need. There are already various programs, projects, and campaigns that encourage exclusive breastfeeding (for example, AFIKEPO, a project supported by UNICEF and FAO). It would help a great deal if such organizations and other sectors would consider investing in Breast Milk Banks country wide.
please, let me know if you know anything about breast milk donation system in Malawi.
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