The Namibian Breastmilk Bank aims to supply premature babies in Namibia with safe, pasteurized breast milk in cases where they cannot receive their mothers' own milk.
- Mothers may be too ill or malnourished to nurse their own baby.
- A mother's milk has not yet been esta.blished.
- Mothers may have several babies to nurse.
- Mothers may be unable to produce enough milk for their baby.
Stored breastmilk then represents a readily available and affordable alternative to formula milk.
HOW THE BREASTMILK BANK OPERATES
The Namibian Breastmilk Bank is a non-profit organization and relies solely on donated breastmilk.
- Mothers who have milk to spare and wish to donate must be healthy.
- All prospective breastmilk donors are screened for HIV, Hepatitis Band CMV.
- The breastmilk is collected in a sterile manner and brought to the Breastmilk Bank.
- The milk is then pasteurized and screened again.
- The milk is frozen.
- It is then distributed to neonatal units were the milk is needed.