Shillong, May 20, 2026: The state’s pioneering Human Milk Bank at Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital (also known as KJP Hospital) has emerged as a crucial support system for neonatal healthcare in Meghalaya. Since becoming operational in 2021, the facility has benefited 89 vulnerable infants, offering a vital alternative for premature, critically ill, low birth weight, and orphaned babies who cannot receive sufficient breast milk from their mothers.
Established in 2020 with funding from the Rotary Club of Shillong (approximately ₹10 lakh), the milk bank was formally inaugurated on March 8, 2021, by then Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik on International Women’s Day. It provides Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM) after rigorous screening, collection, processing, and pasteurization, ensuring safety and nutritional quality for the most fragile newborns.
Impact and Operations
Official data up to April 2026 highlights the bank’s growing reach. It has registered 120 mother donors and collected 265 human milk donations, with 193 successfully pasteurized and sterilized. The facility has received a total of 24,425 ml of donor milk and distributed 19,080 ml to infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It currently maintains a stock of 5,345 ml.
Donor human milk has proven instrumental in reducing neonatal infections, boosting immunity, lowering the risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm babies, and improving overall recovery outcomes. This initiative addresses critical gaps in maternal milk supply due to medical conditions, illness, or insufficient lactation, particularly in a region where advanced neonatal care can be limited.
Awareness and Future Plans
The hospital actively promotes the importance of milk donation, including through events like the observance of World Human Milk Donation Day. Hospital authorities have expressed plans for expansion to extend support across more parts of Meghalaya and reach additional infants in need.
This community-driven project stands as a testament to collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, Rotary International, and generous donors. By ensuring access to the “liquid gold” of breast milk, the Human Milk Bank at Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital continues to save lives and strengthen neonatal care in the state.
As awareness grows, more mothers are encouraged to donate surplus milk, reinforcing the message that one act of generosity can nurture the next generation.
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