BENGALURU: Nearly two months after the state’s first milk bank was opened in the city by a private hospital, it has proved beneficial to 17 infants and doctors claim they are finding it difficult to cope with the demand.
"Earlier it took time to convince neonatalogists to use it, but now the demand has exceeded supply," said Dr Sreenath Manikanti, Senior Consultant Neonatologist and HOD Fortis La Femme Hospital.
So far close to eight hospitals have requested for donor milk from the bank and they even include government hospitals. The government-run Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) had recently demanded 2,600 ml, of which 650 ml was donated twice for triplets.
"Everyday at least 2-3 neonatalogists are inquiring about donated milk. This demand just throws light on the fact of how excess milk can be put to the best use of premature babies. However, we only facilitate milk to premature babies born less than 32 weeks or less than 1,500 grams," Dr Sreenath said.
Close to 14,050 ml of milk was collected in December. The milk is facilitated at a nominal charge of Rs 200, of which the hospital donates milk free of cost to government hospitals if there is a demand.
"The huge challenge ahead of us is to cope with the demand, as we are running out of milk and have to decline in many cases," adds Dr Sreenath.
