Karachi: Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho today inaugurated Pakistan’s first Sharia-compliant Human Milk Bank and Early Childhood Center at the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology in Karachi. The country’s first Sharia-compliant human milk bank has been established with the collaboration of UNICEF at the Sindh Institute of Neonatology in Korangi, Karachi. This facility will provide donor milk to infants who are unable to receive their mother’s milk for any reason.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Azra Pechuho emphasized the significance of the Human Milk Bank at the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology, highlighting that mother’s milk offers optimal nutrition and essential immunity to fight diseases for newborns. She advised that mothers who can breastfeed should exclusively provide their milk to their babies for the first six months, without introducing any other food or even water.
UNICEF Pakistan representative Abdullah Fadil, also present at the event, offered UNICEF’s technical and financial support to establish more such Human Milk Banks in other hospitals across Pakistan. He stated that the first Human Milk Bank in Pakistan would help raise awareness among mothers about the importance of breastfeeding. Professor Jamal Raza, Executive Director of the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology in Karachi, described mother’s milk as the “original fast food,” noting that it delivers all necessary nutrients, healthy components, and disease-fighting properties that a newborn needs immediately.
He added that their institute not only treats sick children but is also committed to raising continuous awareness about the importance of mother’s milk and the need for vaccination to protect children from diseases.
