04-08-2025
Breastmilk donors nourish 7,845 infants at Coimbatore GH in six months
COIMBATORE: In the past six months alone, 7,845 babies have received donated human milk from 1,635 mothers at the Comprehensive Lactation Management Centre (CLMC), the breast milk bank at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
Since its inception in 2015, the centre has collected 16,717.8 litres of donated milk from 24,654 mothers, benefiting 55,056 babies, many of whom are abandoned, preterm, or critically ill. In 2024 alone, the CLMC collected 10,104.65 litres of milk. Between January and June this year, 1,358.94 litres were collected from 1,635 donors.
Dr N Senthilkumar, professor in the hospital's paediatric department, said the CLMC plays a critical role in saving newborn lives.
'We are raising awareness among healthy, breastfeeding mothers—especially those who produce more milk than needed—about the importance of milk donation. Many are still hesitant. If more women come forward, it would greatly help children in need,' he said.
The lactation management centre receives referrals from nearby districts including Nilgiris, Pollachi, and Tiruppur. With some babies requiring up to 500 ml of milk per day, demand remains high. Donor milk helps reduce complications such as Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening intestinal disease in newborns.
The Comprehensive Lactation Management Centre typically receives over 3,000 donors annually and supports 7,000 to 8,000 babies each year with 1,200 to 1,400 litres of donated milk.
Meanwhile, the district headquarters hospital in Pollachi also operates a breast milk bank. Between April 2024 and March 2025, the facility has helped over 509 children. In 2023–2024, it collected 73.83 litres of breast milk, benefiting 476 babies. Over the past three months alone, 102 mothers donated 15.75 litres of milk, helping 109 children.
Dr D Selvaraj, Chief Civil Surgeon of the paediatric department, said, 'During the Breastfeeding Week, we are conducting awareness campaigns. A common myth is that milk donation reduces supply for one's own baby, but more women are now coming forward than ever before.'
