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Fri, 13 Jun 2025 Social News

Ghana opens first breast milk bank

  Fri, 13 Jun 2025
Ghana opens first breast milk bank

In a landmark move to improve neonatal care and reduce infant mortality, the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), in partnership with the Indiana University School of Public Health, has launched the country’s first human milk bank.

The facility—the ninth of its kind in Africa—will collect, screen, pasteurise, store, and distribute donated breast milk to vulnerable newborns, including preterm babies, orphans, and infants whose mothers are unable to breastfeed. The service will be offered free of charge.

Launched yesterday in Accra by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the initiative is expected to significantly improve outcomes for thousands of at-risk infants each year.

“Across the world, over 700 human milk banks are saving lives, and Ghana proudly joins this global movement today," the minister said. "This human milk bank is more than a facility, it is a promise that no child in Ghana will be left behind in the crucial first days of life simply because they cannot access the nourishment they need.”

Ghana records more than 128,000 premature births annually, with many newborns requiring specialised care in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). For infants too ill or premature to breastfeed, donor milk is considered the next best alternative to a mother's own.

Mr. Akandoh stressed that the initiative is part of the government’s broader agenda to improve neonatal care services nationwide. He announced plans to expand NICUs, scale up kangaroo mother care units, and roll out a national campaign to raise awareness about the importance of breast milk donation.

The Head of the Paediatric Department at UGMC, Dr. Beatrice Nyann, explained that lactating mothers willing to donate can visit the centre directly. “However,” she noted, “they would first be subjected to examination to see if they were fit to do so.”

She added that UGMC staff are currently undergoing specialised training in breast milk collection and handling. Full distribution of the milk is expected to begin next month, starting with in-house patients before expanding to other hospitals.

Chief Executive Officer of UGMC, Dr. Abdul-Samed Tanko, highlighted the centre’s commitment to promoting infant health through innovative care solutions.

“Human milk is uniquely tailored to meet the nutritional needs of babies and infants. The World Health Organisation recommends that a mother's breast milk is the best milk for newborns. However, when unavailable, pasteurised donor human milk is recommended as the next best alternative,” he said.

Dr. Tanko also acknowledged the dual challenge the milk bank faces—ensuring a steady stream of qualified donors while maintaining rigorous safety standards to protect infant health.

Professor Cecilia Obeng, the initiator and sponsor of the project, underscored the urgency of the initiative, citing Ghana’s high infant mortality rate. She expressed optimism that the milk bank would help reverse this trend.

“Infant mortality was a huge problem in Ghana,” she said, drawing inspiration from countries like Brazil and Kenya, which recorded declines in infant deaths after establishing similar milk banks. Prof. Obeng made a heartfelt appeal to nursing mothers with surplus breast milk: “Share to donate to the centre.”

With this initiative, Ghana takes a bold step toward building a more resilient and inclusive neonatal health system, ensuring that no baby is left without the nourishment needed to survive and thrive.

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