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Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Mandya proposes to set up breast milk bank to reduce infant mortality
Mandya: To curb infant mortality, Mandya zilla panchayat CEO KR Nandini directed district health officials to visit Vanivilas Hospital in Bengaluru to study its successful 'Breast Milk Bank' model. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Based on their findings, a proposal will be prepared to establish a similar facility at Mandya District Hospital. The initiative aims to provide safely processed donor milk from lactating mothers to infants deprived of their own mother's milk, improving survival rates. All donated milk will be pasteurised to retain vital nutrients and antibodies, with a shelf life of up to six months. Only healthy mothers will be eligible to donate. Sharing her personal motivation, Nandini said, "I experienced motherhood twice, with both my children born in govt hospitals. My second daughter was delivered at Vanivilas Hospital, where I saw firsthand the impact of a breast milk bank. Many NICU babies cannot suck and need artificial feeding. For underweight infants, formula milk is often the only alternative. This bank will also benefit working mothers, ensuring their babies get breast milk even in their absence. " She said colostrum—produced in the first hour after birth—acts as a newborn's first vaccine, protecting against diseases. "Many mothers produce excess milk, which is often discarded. To me, it's as valuable as gold or diamonds. Mother's milk has no substitute; it's rich in immunity-boosting nutrients and can help any baby in need. For mothers, donation also prevents discomfort and health issues." Calling the plan a "win-win" for both newborns and mothers, Nandini added, "With our existing staff, we can start this facility to help bring down infant mortality. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Once the study visit is complete, we will set up a similar bank in Mandya to benefit many families." Dr Keerthi BJ, SNCU nodal officer, MIMS, said, "It's a really good initiative and need of the hour. In many cases, mothers of preterm babies are unable to produce sufficient breast milk. Using powdered milk can be risky, whereas mother's milk contains antibodies that provide protection and fulfil the baby's nutritional needs." At MIMS, about 600 babies are born every year, and on average, 150 of them are preterm—meaning they are born before completing nine months of pregnancy, he said. Dr Manohar R, associate professor of MIMS and president of Mandya District OBG Association, said, "That will definitely be beneficial. Those having issues with breastfeeding can definitely make use of this facility. Especially, preterm babies will be more beneficial."
Hans India
10-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
New mother donates 3 ltrs of breast milk to Milk Bank
Anantapur: In an inspiring act of maternal generosity, a mother from Anantapur has donated three litres of breast milk to the Anantha Mothers' Milk Bank, drawing heartfelt appreciation from government hospital officials and healthcare staff. Dr Gujjula Hemalatha, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at the Government General Hospital (GGH), Anantapur, lauded the noble gesture, calling it a record donation to the milk bank so far. 'Mother's milk is equal to nectar for a newborn, and many mothers who cannot breastfeed are in distress. Triveni, the mother who made this donation, deserves immense respect,' said Dr. Hemalatha. Triveni, wife of Mallikarjuna from Rayadurgam, gave birth to a baby boy on June 24 through a normal delivery at the government hospital. As the baby was born prematurely in the seventh month, with low birth weight, he was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Despite her own challenges, Triveni continued to breastfeed her child and generously donated excess milk to help other infants in need. Dr Hemalatha remarked, 'Her decision to help ensure the health of other babies as well reflects a true mother's heart. We are indebted to such selflessness.' In recognition of her generosity, Triveni was honoured in a traditional 'Puttinti Sare' (ceremonial gifting) by the hospital. The felicitation ceremony was attended by nutritionist Sai Pallavi, counsellor Radha, staff nurses Sunitha and Parveen (SNCU), and security guard Saroj, among others. This act stands as a shining example of how one mother's compassion can nurture many lives.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Found in a bag on train, newborn Veer getting better, finds 40 prospective families
More than 40 families were eager to adopt a newborn boy who was found in a bag in an AC coach of the Patna-Chandigarh Special Train on June 22, Moradabad district probation officer SP Gautam said. After surviving extreme neglect and battling for life in a hospital, the infant—now lovingly named Veer by the hospital staff—is showing signs of recovery. (For representation) On June 22, the infant boy was rushed to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) at the Women's Hospital in Moradabad. Doctors say Veer was initially placed on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) due to severe breathing difficulties caused by oxygen deprivation. He had been trapped in the bag for nearly 10 hours, which had led to hypoxia—a condition that could have been fatal had he not received timely medical care. Women's Hospital chief medical superintendent (CMS) Dr. Nirmala Pathak said, 'The child's respiratory rate was abnormally high.' Veer was kept on CPAP support for 72 hours and later shifted to standard oxygen support. As his condition improved, oxygen support was gradually withdrawn, and he was now breathing freely, she added. However, Veer still faced difficulty in feeding and was being nourished via IV drips. 'First, he survived for hours in a bag, and then he fought for his life in the ICU. He truly deserves the name Veer (which means brave),' said a staff member. Once Veer gets better completely, he will be handed over to Childline, a government-supported child welfare organisation. Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities were actively looking for people who had abandoned the child. Railway Protection Force (RPF) commandant Utkarsh Narayan confirmed that a SIM card was also recovered from the bag in which the baby was found. In another case of abandonment and eventual adoption, an infant girl who was found in the bushes near Gagan Tiraha in Mainather on the eve of Dhanteras last year, has found a home. Lakshmi had been grievously injured by stray dogs, with deep wounds on her hip. She spent nearly six weeks at the SNCU of the Women's Hospital. The girl has been adopted by a doctor couple from Chennai.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Patwari attacks govt over failure to curb high infant deaths
Bhopal: Congress state president Jitu Patwari on Sunday accused the state govt of failing to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, despite spending Rs 10,000 crore over the past five years to check the health issues. Citing the latest Sample Survey System (SSR) report, he said 40 children among 1,000 children born in a year fail to see their first birthday. While IMR in the country fell to 26 from 40 per 1,000 children between 2013 to 2022, in the state it has only come down from 53 to 40 in the same period. In a letter addressed to CM Mohan Yadav, the Congress leader said the IMR and MMR figures expose the huge claims of development by the state govt and raises a pertinent question where the money being raised through debts in the name of development are going. "The annual budget on healthcare is Rs 4500 crore but even the most basic healthcare services are not available to people." He further asked the chief minister why the facility of cesarean delivery was available only in 120 of the 547 healthcare centres functional in the state in 2022? Whether the other healthcare centres are acting only as "referral centres"?, He asked. Patwari said that posts of child specialists are vacant in 70 percent of the community health centres despite the fact that 55 percent deaths in SNCU are of the children brought in "referral cases". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Patwari said that a state which has a debt burden of Rs 4.5 lakh crore is not able to basic healthcare needs of its people and it makes one ask whether a 'healthy Madhya Pradesh' is anywhere in the priority list of the state government or it intends to continue selling 'pipe dream' through public speeches and publicity.
Hindustan Times
27-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
45-day-old baby's vision saved by doctors in Pune, Amravati
In an example of care and compassion, doctors and hospital staff from Amravati and Pune came together to save the eyesight of a 45-day-old baby girl from a remote tribal village in Temru village in Chikhaldara tehsil of Melghat. This was a more aggressive form of ROP. Usually, we have three to four days to operate, but in such cases, even a delay of one or two days can lead to blindness. The swift action by the Amravati team ensured that didn't happen, says doctor. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO) Born on May 10 at the District Women's Hospital in Amravati, the baby weighed just 990 grams. She was admitted to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) for over a month. On June 12, doctors diagnosed her with Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), a potentially blinding eye condition that affects premature babies. Left untreated, ROP can lead to irreversible vision loss. Realizing the urgency—ROP in such cases requires surgical intervention within two to three days—the doctors at Amravati swung into action. But multiple challenges stood in their way. The baby's parents were in deep financial distress. They spoke a tribal dialect that many couldn't understand and lacked the necessary documents to avail of government health schemes. Above all, they had no means to travel to Pune, where the required treatment was available. Despite this, Dr Preeti Ingle, head of the SNCU in Amravati, contacted Dr Sucheta Kulkarni, medical director at PBMA's HV Desai Eye Hospital in Pune. Dr Kulkarni immediately agreed to perform the surgery free of cost, but the question remained—how would the baby reach Pune, nearly 600 km away? Initially, the baby's father refused to travel, citing a complete lack of money—he couldn't even afford the journey back to his own village. Recognising the gravity of the situation, hospital staff began counselling him. Meanwhile, district official Prakash Khadke contacted senior health officers Dr Tilottama Wankhede in Melghat and Dr Aishwarya Wankhede of the Primary Health Centre in Katkumb. Together, they arranged ₹ 5,000 to fund the family's travel. On June 12, the family was supposed to catch a train at 10:45 pm, but they missed it. Undeterred, hospital and district staff arranged fresh tickets for June 13 and personally accompanied the father and child to the station to ensure they boarded safely. They reached Pune the next day, June 14, at 7 am. Waiting at the railway station was Vishnu Gaikwad, an optometrist from the retina department at HV Desai Eye Hospital. He received the duo and took them straight to the hospital. The baby underwent surgery the same day. Later that evening, Gaikwad escorted the father and child back to the station and saw them off on their return journey. The baby was readmitted to the District Women's Hospital in Amravati for follow-up care. Doctors there confirmed her condition is stable and, most importantly, her eyesight has been saved. 'This was a more aggressive form of ROP. Usually, we have three to four days to operate, but in such cases, even a delay of one or two days can lead to blindness. The swift action by the Amravati team ensured that didn't happen,' said Dr Kulkarni. She also underlined the importance of early screening in rural areas. 'We conduct regular ROP screening in Pune, Satara, and Alibaug, but such programmes need to be expanded to remote districts like Melghat,' she added. From a tribal hamlet in the Melghat hills to a high-tech eye hospital in Pune, this journey was powered by urgency, empathy, and institutional coordination. For a 45-day-old baby girl, it was not just a medical intervention—it was a second chance to see the world.
