Second human milk bank to open at Mbagathi County Referral Hospital

Confirming the development, Nairobi County Health and Nutrition Officer Suzanne Silantoi noted that the decision reflects the significant strides made in improving county health services under Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration.

The recent restructuring placed Level 5 hospitals under the direct leadership of Chief Executive Officers, reducing bureaucratic delays and enhancing service delivery.

"We’ve seen tremendous improvement in our county hospitals. Mbagathi, for instance, is now led by Dr. Alexander Irungu as CEO, and the impact has been remarkable,” Silantoi said.

The hospital was selected based on its well-established lactation support system, ISO-certified laboratory services, and an efficient community referral and linkage network.

Dr. Irungu explained that the decision followed an in-depth analysis of both enabling factors and potential challenges across the assessed facilities.

“The Human Milk Bank at Pumwani Maternity Hospital currently operates with a 9.4-litre pasteurizer and 240-litre storage capacity. Mbagathi’s unit will be an upgrade,” he noted. “Our Neonatal Unit (NBU) admits between 130 and 150 newborns each month, with an additional 100 to 120 referrals from other facilities. Given that at least half of these cases typically require donor milk, we anticipate serving approximately 115 to 135 newborns monthly.”

The new Human Milk Bank will cater to both public and private neonatal units in southern and western Nairobi, including Kenyatta National Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Pumwani facility will continue to serve northern, eastern, and central Nairobi, supporting hospitals such as Mama Lucy Kibaki and Mama Margaret Uhuru.

Dr. Irungu emphasized that human milk banking is a critical life-saving intervention. “It ensures safe, donor-sourced milk is available for vulnerable newborns who cannot access their mother’s milk. The process involves voluntary donor recruitment and screening, testing for infectious diseases, pasteurization, safe storage, and prescription-based distribution to eligible neonates.”

The initiative is expected to significantly enhance neonatal survival rates and improve Nairobi County’s overall health outcomes.

Dr. Irungu emphasized that human milk banking is a critical life-saving intervention. “It ensures safe, donor-sourced milk is available for vulnerable newborns who cannot access their mother’s milk. The process involves voluntary donor recruitment and screening, testing for infectious diseases, pasteurization, safe storage, and prescription-based distribution to eligible neonates.”

The initiative is expected to significantly enhance neonatal survival rates and improve Nairobi County’s overall health outcomes.

The delegation was hosted by Dr. Emily Ngunguna, PATH Kenya’s Regional Director, and the Africa Regional Lead for Maternal and Newborn Health within PATH’s Primary Health Care Program.