Sending breastmilk outside of the US makes no sense in any emergency. Just more stuff to add to the mountains of stuff already arriving.
I've had some more clarification on the organisations specifically running infant feeding projects in Haiti.
They are: UNICEF, Save the Children, Concern. Action Against Hunger is providing psychosocial support to mothers. The Emergency Nutrition Network is doing a lot of coordination and education/briefing from the UK (and of course could also do with donations). Any time you make donations, make sure that the org knows that it is because of their infant feeding in emergencies work. Unfortunately some of the orgs you've listed Naomi don't have a great track history on infant feeding in emergencies.
Naomi, if you can provide more info on how the IBMP is now working I would be very interested to hear, because I understood that Prolacta was milk was collected via Prolacta's collection system and tested and pasteurised by Prolacta. Is that no longer the case?
Karleen Gribble
Australia
From: Naomi Bar-Yam
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 10:59 PM
To: Lactation Information and Discussion ; Karleen Gribble
Subject: HMBANA, IBMP and Haiti
Below is the HMBANA statement on milk to Haiti, posted on their website. Currently, there is not reliable electricity or transportation in Haiti, since donor milk has to be frozen, it doesn't make sense to send donor milk there. HMBANA is in touch with international relief organizations. We are encouraging interested moms to become milk donors at the milk bank closest to them. That way, should the relief organizations be able to use donor milk, we will be able to send it to them quickly. If not, the milk will be used locally for babies in the US.
Re: IBMP, the short version of the story is that they are under new leadership, they no longer affiliated with Prolacta, they are referring donors to HMBANA who is referring them to their local milk banks. (http://www.breastmilkproject.org/hiw_faq.php) Milk donated through IBMP referred donors will be part of the pool of milk that will be sent to Haiti, only if and when international relief agencies such as UNICEF, etc. can get it where it needs to be safely and use it effectively.
In the meantime, supporting breastfeeding on the ground in Haiti is much more effective and important, and we have seen in Lactnet posts the last few days that that is also the priority of the relief organizations as well. All the relief organizations agree that what is needed right now is monetary contributions to the relief effort. Send contributions to the organization of your choice. A list is below in the HMBANA statement.
I hope this clarifies things.
Naomi Bar-Yam
From the HMBANA website (http://www.hmbana.org/index.php/index/haiti)
The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) is saddened by the disastrous earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Our thoughts and prayers reach out to this country that now has lost so much.
Many areas have no water, electricity, housing or health care facilities. Recognizing the life saving importance of breastfeeding of infants and young children in this situation, we speak in support of protection and support of Haitian breastfeeding women. Humanitarian efforts must continue to support the health of the mothers and their ability to breast feed.
To help survivors of the Haitian earthquake please donate money to the following agencies:
a.. UNICEF (1-800-4UNICEF)
b.. Direct Relief International
c.. Yele Haiti
d.. Partners in Health
e.. Red Cross
f.. World Food Programme
g.. Mercy Corps (1-888-256-1900)
h.. Save the Children
i.. Lambi Fund
j.. Doctors Without Borders
k.. The International Rescue Committee
l.. CARE
The following organizations are accepting SMS donations in the US only:
a.. SMS text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts>/li>
b.. SMS text "YELE" to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti's Earthquake Relief efforts
In order to support HMBANA to be prepared to provide donor milk if UNICEF, the Red Cross, WHO or other international organizations involved on the front lines were to contact us, please call your nearest HMBANA bank (found here) and become a donor so that we will have the needed processed donor milk.
Thank you!
The Board of Directors and Staff of HMBANA
------------------------------------------
Naomi Bar-Yam Ph.D.
Executive Director
Mothers' Milk Bank of New England
[log in to unmask]
617-527-6263
www.milkbankne.org
------------------------------------------
Join us April 12-13, 2010, Boston, MA
100 Years of Milk Banking: Looking Back, Reaching Forward
Info and Registration: HMBANA.ORG
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