India Expands Breastfeeding Support with 52 Lactation Centres and 50 Units

To support this, the Government of India has established Comprehensive Lactation Management Centres (CLMC) and Lactation Management Units (LMU).

Breast milk is vital for newborns, offering essential nutrients that support growth and development while providing protection against illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and chronic conditions like asthma, allergies, childhood obesity, diabetes, and heart disease later in life. For infants in intensive care units, access to breast milk is crucial, as it aids in early initiation and exclusive feeding, helping prevent issues related to prematurity like late-onset sepsis, broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and retinopathy.

To support this, the Government of India has established Comprehensive Lactation Management Centres (CLMC) and Lactation Management Units (LMU). These facilities ensure the availability of safe, pasteurized donor human milk and facilitate the expression of mothers' own milk for the nourishment of sick, preterm, and low birth weight babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) and Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs).

According to a report from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as of the fiscal year 2023-24, there are currently 52 Comprehensive Lactation Management Centres and 50 Lactation Management Units operational across various States and Union Territories.

This update was provided by Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in a written response in Lok Sabha today.