World Human Milk Donation Day

Date:19.05.2023

On 19.05.2023, on the occasion of World Human Milk Donation Day, Pune’s first ‘White Carpet Walk’ in honor of lactating mothers who have donated milk was organised at Dr. DY Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Center Pimpri, Pune in association with Yashoda Advanced Human Milk Bank, Comprehensive Lactation Management Training and Research Center (CLMTRC), Rotary Club of Nigdi- Pune and Indian Medical Association- Pimpri Chinchwad Bhosari (IMA-PCB) branch Women Doctors Wing (IMA-PCB WDW).

The White Carpet Walk is an innovative initiative aimed at educating and encouraging lactating mothers to come forward and donate milk. This human Milk Bank strives to ensure that babies of mothers who cannot produce sufficient breast milk are not deprived of the nutritional value of breast milk.

On this occasion Pro Chancellor, Dr. DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Dr. Bhagyashree P. Patil and Trustee and Treasurer Dr. DY Patil Vidyapeeth Dr. Yashraj Patil, extended their greetings. Dr. J. S. Bhawalkar, Dean, Dr. DY Patil Medical College and Research Center, Dr. Shailaja Mane, Director, Yashoda Advanced Human Milk Bank & HOD Pediatrics, Dr. Hemant Deshpande, HOD OBGYN, alongwith professors, milk donor mothers and other health care workers were present on this occasion.

More than 40 milk donor mothers participated in the white carpet walk. This was followed by a felicitation ceremony for lactating mothers, some of whom addressed the audience to raise awareness on the importance of human milk donation and its benefits for mothers.

The program was attended by Dr. P. Vatsalaswamy, Academic Director, Dr. DY Patil Medical College, Ms. Pranita Alurkar, President (Rotary Club Nigdi-Pune) Dr. Shubhangi Kothari, Past President (Rotary Club, Nigdi), Mr. Ravi Rajapurkar, Project Coordinator (Rotary Club, Nigdi), Dr. Aniruddha Tongaonkar, (Secretary IMA PCB), Dr. Ritu Lokhande, (Chairman, IMA PCB, WDW), Dr. Jyoti Dekate, (Co- Chairman, IMA PCB, WDW) and office bearers and IMA PCB members.