Brazil is a reference in Breast Milk Banks

Brazil is honored to keep on doing its part to support families through its Brazilian Human Milk Bank Network, a strategic, long-praised program that promotes the collection and distribution of human milk to babies who couldn’t be fed by their own mothers.

Brazil has the most comprehensive network of human milk banks in the world, becoming a worldwide reference for using strategies that combine low costs and technology to provide high quality human milk for those in need, in addition to assistance and guidance for breastfeeding.

There are 222 human milk banks and 217 collection centers throughout the country. After being analyzed, pasteurized, and submitted to quality control, the collected milk is distributed to newborns in neonatal units, under a physician or nutritionist’s prescription.

Brazilian researcher João Aprígio de Almeida was awarded the WHO’s Dr Lee Jong-Wook Public Health Prize for coordinating the Brazilian Human Milk Bank Network, recognizing the outstanding work done by Brazil to fight malnutrition and reduce infant mortality through breastfeeding.