Pakistan’s First Human Milk Bank Closes Following ‘Fatwa’
Following a new religious decree, the Sindh Institute of Child Health & Neonatology (SICHN) has stopped its Human Milk Bank project, which was the first of its kind in Pakistan.
A spokesperson for SICHN stated they would seek additional guidance from Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).
The Human Milk Bank, recently opened by Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho with officials from UNICEF and the Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA), aimed to provide breast milk to premature babies who cannot get enough nutrition from their mothers.
These premature infants, often born before 34 weeks and weighing less than 2 kg, face significant health risks without enough breast milk, including infections and early death.
The SICHN spokesperson said the milk bank was set up to meet these urgent needs, providing breast milk from Muslim women to Muslim children at no cost to prevent any commercial implications.
Initially, a religious decree issued in December 2023 supported the project. However, a revised decree issued on June 16 led to the project’s suspension.
The spokesperson assured that discussions with religious authorities would continue to ensure the project follows Islamic guidelines before any further action is taken.
