Colostrum deficiency

Almost 50 per cent (49 per cent to be accurate) of newborns in Bangladesh do not get colostrum, says a recent UNICEF global report. Colostrum is the first milk of the mother that contains antibodies to protect the newborn against diseases. Its deficiency not only causes suffering from diseases but also hampers growth of infants. It is understood that there is a lack of awareness about or attitude towards proper care of the newborns, as reflected in the UNICEF report. Hospital staff members do not allegedly make arrangement for providing colostrum to the infants. When cesarean operation for delivery is the most common practice, the mother and the newborn/s are kept in separate rooms in the hospital.

This is a matter of serious concern. Apart from public awareness, what is more important is proper care by physicians and their support staff to address the issue. Since a mother passes post-operative period after delivery, only nurses and other staff can take the baby to her and can try to provide colostrum. This care should be the beginning of building healthy generations since we are still constrained by problems with height and weight of infants. We need strong young people for the well-being of their own, their families, and the nation.

Alamgir Hossain

Kaigari, Bogra