Amagintza, a breastfeeding and motherhood support group, as agents of social change, reported this Sunday that the Government of Navarra, through its Ministry of Health, finally did not want to provide the means to implement a donated milk bank. in Navarre. “As the experiences of other milk banks demonstrate, having one increases the survival and improves the quality of life of babies born before their time. Its implementation requires an initial investment of around 100,000 euros and its maintenance a small annual personnel expense,” they have assured.
Navarra is the only CCAA that does not have a Milk Bank for premature babies
From Amagintza they affirm that they have “done everything possible to make the Government of Navarra aware of this need, and that we were one of the only two communities that did not have a Breast Milk Bank. Currently, Navarra is the only autonomous community without this resource!
“On March 26 of this year we met with the General Directorate of Health, providing numerous information about the need to create a milk bank. We collected signatures through Change and went to the Parliament of Navarra on April 16 where we obtained the majority support of all the groups that did not understand why a milk bank had not been launched before in our community. A fact that we do not understand either, especially when it has been requested since 2005. On April 16 there was total agreement between the political groups. to carry out this project. However, this week we learned that the draft 2025 budget does not contemplate any budget item for the creation of the milk bank in Navarra as we were assured,” they pointed out.
Amagintza points out that “this decision leaves Navarrese babies and families with unequal conditions and rights compared to babies born in the rest of the Spanish autonomous communities. It seems that, for those who decide the priorities of the population and the distribution of budgets, the premature babies are not important despite the fact that the benefits and reduction in health spending in the medium and long term thanks to this resource are widely demonstrated.”
They indicate that “on November 22, 2016, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council recognized in Geneva that breastfeeding is a human right that must be protected by States so that mothers can exercise it anywhere and anytime. Breast milk is a first-rate therapy, it has greater bioavailability than artificial milk and has inimitable components that cannot be reproduced chemically. All of this contributes to better psychomotor, digestive, respiratory, neurological and visual development. breast milk is the best medicine.”
Amagintza recalls that “despite having all this information, they justify the decision not to launch it this year, by not being able to budgetarily cover the personnel needs. Taking into account that part of the necessary personnel is already present in the neonatology unit ( who assesses the needs of the recipient patients), pediatrics being the one who assesses the needs and priority babies, and another part is also available in the blood and tissue bank itself (laboratory technicians), we do not understand this decision.” On the other hand, they consider that “perhaps it would be necessary to extend the working hours of one of these health professionals and some laboratory assistant, nothing more. The health advantages and economic benefits derived from it in the medium and long term far outweigh the scarce necessary expenses.”
However, Amagintza points out that “implementing and having a breast milk bank means reducing the risks of short- and long-term diseases in the most vulnerable babies (prevents infections, increases digestive tolerance and defenses, accelerates recovery, improves neurodevelopment). , to reduce cardiovascular and metabolic risk). They also emphasize that “it represents economic savings for the health department by reducing complications in premature babies (reducing the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis and neonatal sepsis by 50%), admission times (they achieve complete feeding through the digestive tract until 5 days before) and other complications derived from prematurity. “Taking into account exclusively the reduction in the days of admission to the neonatal unit, it can represent a saving of 8,167.17 euros per premature baby (4 days on average), as stated in her conclusions by Dr. Marta Cabrera La Fuente, neonatologist of the La Paz Hospital in Madrid”, they have pointed out from Amagintza.
Furthermore, they add that “the opening of a milk bank leads to an increase in the global breastfeeding rate.” “According to studies carried out in 83 Italian neonatal units, after the implementation of a milk bank, the breastfeeding rate increased from 34% to 74%. Currently our exclusive breastfeeding rates are still very low compared to what is recommended by the WHO Therefore, the creation of a milk bank would be a boost to advance in this matter,” they consider.
“When a baby is born prematurely, it is normal for their mothers to take several days or even weeks to produce milk. Women need a lot of support, accompaniment, stimulation and good information to be able to produce enough milk. When they do, their lactations last longer because they are aware that breast milk is authentic medicine that can mean the difference between life and death for their babies or the difference between suffering from numerous and very serious infections or having fewer and less serious ones. The mothers of these premature babies are the best ambassadors. of the importance of breast milk, as well as its sons and daughters to demonstrate everything we are saying. A milk bank is a driver of the breastfeeding rate in that autonomous community,” they conclude.
“In the medium and long term, according to data from our own community, the difference in direct health expenditure between babies exclusively breastfed for 6 months and those fed with artificial milk is 914 euros per baby in the first 6 months of life and almost 1,400 euros in the first 3 years of life. This represents a direct health expense in Navarra of 787,296 euros per year (taking into account only the first 6 months of life of babies) and 1,668,566 euros per year (if we count the expense). of the first 3 years of life of babies). Ensuring EBF for 6 months can reduce direct pediatric healthcare spending by 41%. The greatest cost reduction, of course, occurs in premature babies and newborns admitted to the ICU. the first month of life, which are the most vulnerable”, they have indicated from Amagintza that they end by insisting that they do not want “more declarations of intentions, we want actions and facts that demonstrate their true commitment to the most vulnerable children and their families.”
“Investing in supporting and promoting Breastfeeding saves health costs. We need a milk bank in Navarra now! What are our leaders waiting for? We cannot leave this opportunity to translate it into the 2025 budgets as promised,” they concluded. from the Amagintza Association.