Knowledge and acceptability towards human donor milk among women attending at Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Tanzania. First Steps of establishing a Human Milk Banc in a rural hospital in Tanzania

Introduction Breast milk is the golden standard of infant nutrition because it provides powerful nutritional and immunological protection and decreases mortality due to infection. The WHO recommends that babies who cannot receive breast milk from their biological mothers should receive human breast milk (donor milk) from a milk bank. Previous studies have shown that improving breast feeding behavior can save 820,000 lives annually and 87% of this group are infants under six months of age.

Objectives The aim of this study is to assess the level of knowledge and practice towards human milk bank among women who attends at Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Manyara, Tanzania.

Methods Cross-section study design. Data will be collected through semi-administered questionnaire and sample size will be 260 participants. Data collection will take place in Reproductive and child health care, Neonatal care unit and postnatal ward. Mothers above eighteen years of age, and who consent to participate will be included to the study. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Discussion It has been noted that newborns most susceptible to morbidity and mortality are those at greatest risk of not receiving the lifesaving benefits of breast milk. It is important to know the knowledge and practice towards human milk bank among women attendind at HLH so as to be able to establish our own human donor milk for the future to help babies who will need the breast milk but cannot receive it from their mothers.

Publication History

Article published online:
06 June 2023