Uganda unveils plans to expand breast milk banks to boost infant health

UGANDA – Uganda has unveiled plans to expand its network of breast milk banks, a significant investment in infant nutrition and healthcare aimed at reducing child mortality. 

Currently, Uganda has three breast milk banks located at Nsambya Hospital, Nakasero Hospital, and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. 

These facilities collect and store breast milk from mothers with a surplus, which is then screened for infectious diseases to ensure its safety before being given to infants, especially those born prematurely or with medical conditions that require specialized nutrition.

Recognizing the importance of these banks, the government, through the Ministry of Health, has revealed plans to establish additional breast milk bank facilities in regional referral hospitals across the country. 

According to Samali Namukose, Assistant Commissioner of the Nutrition Division at the Ministry of Health, new facilities will be set up in Mulago Referral Hospital and Kawempe National Referral Hospital by the end of 2025.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to safeguard the health and survival of infants, providing essential nutrients and energy during the first six months of life. 

Breast milk also continues to provide up to half of a child’s nutritional needs in the second half of the first year and up to a third during the second year. 

However, not all mothers can provide breast milk, so it is essential to have breast milk banks to meet this need.

The establishment of a breast milk bank at Kawempe National Referral Hospital is seen as a critical step forward.

Kawempe Hospital is the busiest labor ward in Africa, delivering an average of 65 babies per day, and is home to Uganda’s largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which accommodates up to 90 infants at a time. 

The high birth rate and the hospital’s NICU capacity make it an ideal location for a breast milk bank to support vulnerable infants.

Ben Okia, a Senior Nutritionist at Kawempe Hospital, emphasized the importance of breast milk in lowering infant mortality rates. 

“Breast milk is pivotal in protecting infants from infections and supporting their healthy development,” Okia said. 

He further explained that infants who do not breastfeed are at higher risk of malnutrition, anaemia, and other health conditions.

In addition to expanding breast milk banks, the government is also focusing on training healthcare workers in both public and private medical facilities. 

This training ensures that healthcare providers offer mothers the necessary support for breastfeeding and provide high-quality care aligned with infant growth patterns and nutritional needs.

“This investment will help ensure that vulnerable infants have access to the essential nutrition they need for a healthy start in life,” Namukose highlighted, stating the broader benefits of this initiative.

Subscribe to our food and agriculture industry email newsletters that provide busy executives like you with the latest news insights and trends from Africa and the World. SUBSCRIBE HERE