Chennai, Oct 6 (IANS): Extensive awareness campaigns by the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital have led to an increase in the number of breast milk donors and beneficiaries in the district.

According to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, around 5,511 babies have benefitted from its breast milk bank from January 2022.

The hospital, in a statement, said that 2,355 women donated breast milk leading to the benefit of 5511 infants. It may be noted that the breast milk bank has been functioning in Coimbatore since 2015 and continued awareness programmes on breast milk donation have led to a large number of lactating mothers donating their milk. In addition to this, the beneficiaries of the scheme also have come to know of this through regular awareness programmes.

Coimbatore Medical College hospital Dean Dr A. Nirmala told IANS that infants whose mothers are ill, babies born with low weight, toddlers hospitalised with serious ailments and babies whose mothers are not able to breastfeed are benefitted from the hospital's breast milk scheme. She also said that regular awareness programmes on the same have helped more people approach the hospital to donate milk as well to get the benefit.

The hospital authorities also said that there are women who donate milk on a daily basis and this has led to a regular supply of breast milk in the bank.