All smiles and celebration this morning at Vietnam National Children’s Hospital, Hanoi for the arrival from the UK of 2 pasteuriser machines to accelerate the opening of the hospitals’ Human Milk Bank (HMB).
This great news for babies who cannot access their own mothers’ milk, including babies born to COVID infected Mothers, those born preterm, too small and too sick. For these babies pasteurised donor milk is a drop of life, saving lives and promoting healthy development.
The HMB is one of many steps over the past three years to develop Integrated Family Care. We are proud of our partnership with VNCH and of the achievements of all the doctors and nurses to put the family at the heart of the babies’ care.
We are grateful to the donors, The Peter Stebbings Memorial Trust, The Peter Bennett Foundation, NRE Group, KKR Singapore and the many individuals and UK/US doctors and nurses who donated over 1.2 billion VND. Special thanks to MT Scientific and Medicare Colgate for pulling out all the stops to get these life-saving machines to Vietnam.
For the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends pasteurised donor milk from a human milk bank as the first alternative to save infant lives and support optimal health and development.