Despite facing criticism from religious groups, the Sindh government is steadfast in its commitment to its newly launched human milk bank project. This initiative is aimed at saving the lives of premature babies who are too weak to consume cattle milk, powdered milk, or formula milk.
During a general discussion in the Sindh Assembly on the recently presented provincial budget, Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho reiterated the government’s dedication to the project.
The Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology had recently announced the suspension of this pioneering initiative, Pakistan’s first human milk bank, due to a religious edict opposing it.
It is important to remember that in the Holy Qur'an, women are honored as nourishers of children. If a mother's milk is not sufficient (in light of Surah Baqarah), it is, however, permissible to seek assistance from another nursing woman. It is crucial to prioritize the… pic.twitter.com/sbNfgJhBzp
— Sindh Information Department (@sindhinfodepart) June 26, 2024
Addressing the assembly, Dr. Pechuho assured that the project would resume with measures in place to prevent future marriages between foster siblings who shared milk from the same donor, in line with Islamic teachings. These measures include establishing a comprehensive database of milk donors, recording details such as Computerised National Identity Card numbers, addresses, and other personal information.
Dr. Pechuho emphasized that this data would be managed by the project administrators and shared with the National Database and Registration Authority to ensure parents of beneficiary babies are aware of their children’s foster families.
She pointed out that the likelihood of a beneficiary child marrying a foster sibling is minimal, given the country’s large population. She also noted that receiving milk from another woman for nutritional needs is consistent with Islamic teachings. Dr. Pechuho expressed regret that while, in the past, newborns were often fed by other women to ensure their survival, this life-saving practice is now being challenged.
The health minister revealed that the Sindh government had reached out to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for a supportive edict for the human milk bank project. “But why should we wait for an edict to launch an initiative duly sanctioned by Islam?” she questioned.
