Yashoda Programme and Human Milk Banks: Promoting Breast Milk Donation in Rajasthan

Key facts

• The Yashoda programme has operated under the Norway-India Partnership Initiative since 2008, focusing on immediate and exclusive breastfeeding for maternal and neonatal care.
• Jeevan Dhara, Rajasthan's first state-run human milk bank, was inaugurated at Mahila Chikitsalaya on 27 March 2015 in collaboration with the Norwegian government and JK Lon Hospital.
• The Mother Milk Bank at Barmer District Hospital, established on 4 March 2018, has collected 29,882 units of milk and supported 3,165 newborn babies.
• The Barmer facility stores human milk at minus 19 degrees Celsius for preservation up to six months, following HIV screening and infection testing.
• In Bhilwara, the Aanchal Mother Milk Bank received 160.81 litres of milk from Raksha Jain between June 2018 and November 2023, supporting more than 5,000 feeds.