CII To Deliberate On Mothers Milk Registry Today

2 mins read

ISLAMABAD: Senior child specialists from the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN) Karachi on 25-March-2025 urged the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) to approve the establishment of Pakistan’s first human milk bank, rebranded as the “Mothers Milk Registry,” to save thousands of premature babies who cannot survive without breast milk.

The experts assured religious scholars that only one foster mother’s milk would be provided to each infant, ensuring compliance with Islamic guidelines on foster relationships.

Addressing a CII meeting, chaired by its chairman Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, the SICHN delegation — including Executive Director Prof. Jamal Raza, Prof. Rehan Ali, Dr. Shahid, and Mufti Asim — presented alarming statistics.

Following the discussion, CII Chairman Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi announced that the council would deliberate further on the matter and continue discussions in its next session on Wednesday (today).

The experts revealed that out of 6.6 million children born annually in Pakistan, 940,000 are premature, and around 194,000 die each year due to a lack of access to mother’s milk.

Prof. Jamal Raza explained that premature babies, especially those born before 34 weeks, cannot suckle and struggle to digest formula milk in their first few days of life. “Breast milk is not just food; it is medicine for newborns. It prevents infections, strengthens immunity, and significantly reduces infant mortality rates,” he emphasised.

The experts highlighted how aggressive marketing from the infant formula industry has convinced many mothers that formula milk is superior to breastfeeding. “The formula industry has changed mindsets through massive advertising, persuading mothers that formula-fed babies are healthier. As a result, even when mothers can breastfeed, they often don’t,” Prof. Jamal lamented.

He pointed out that parents of premature babies often struggle to afford specialised formula. In contrast, breast milk from donor mothers is a natural, cost-free alternative that can save thousands of lives.

The SICHN team reassured the CII that their initiative does not contradict Islamic teachings. “We seek the council’s guidance to establish a Shariah-compliant process for providing foster mothers’ milk to save premature infants,” Prof. Jamal stated, adding that misinformation on social media had created unnecessary controversy.

He cited a fatwa from a major Islamic institution in Karachi that has already endorsed the milk registry, demonstrating that religious scholars can support the initiative after proper consultation.

Dr. Rehan Ali, a senior neonatologist, emphasised that human milk banks operate in over 66 countries, including Islamic nations such as Malaysia, Iran, and Dubai.

He further clarified that human milk is stored in liquid form and undergoes pasteurisation, a process in which it is heated to high temperatures to eliminate harmful bacteria and then rapidly cooled to preserve essential proteins. He reassured the council that donor milk can be stored for up to six months and is provided to infants through feeding tubes, as premature babies lack the ability to suckle.

Addressing concerns about record-keeping and transparency, Dr. Rehan Ali stated that every baby receiving donor milk would have a documented record.

“Three steps would ensure transparency: first, parents would receive a clear explanation of the process; second, a written document with details of both the baby and donor mother would be provided to the family; and third, a copy of this record would be maintained by the institution to ensure compliance with ethical and religious guidelines,” he added.

The council members expressed appreciation for the SICHN experts’ insights, acknowledging that they had not previously heard the medical perspective on the issue. Some scholars remarked that if only one woman’s milk is used per child and complete records are maintained and shared with both families, there should be no Islamic objections to the milk registry’s establishment.

Published in News Daily on 26-March-2025.

Previous Story

President Zardari Hosts Iftar Dinner For Orphaned Children

Next Story

Divorced Parent Re-Unite with Children

Latest from Blog

Outsourcing of Colleges: Teachers, Students continue Protests across KP

PESHAWAR: The province-wide protests against the proposed outsourcing of government colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have intensified as teachers and students jointly staged demonstrations, boycotted classes and warned of an escalation if the policy was not withdrawn by October 11, 2025. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Professors, Lecturers and Librarians Association (KPPLLA) had…

60,000 Students Unable To Attend School Due To Floods

LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has said that around 60,000 children have been unable to attend school due to the recent floods. He further said that flood relief camps had been set up in 415 schools, where thousands of affected people were still living amid standing water in…

WHO Warns of Rising Vaping Among Pakistani Youth as Global Smoking Rates Fall

ISLAMABAD: As global smoking rates fall to their lowest level in decades, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that new nicotine delivery products—such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices—are rapidly spreading among youth in Pakistan due to loopholes in marketing regulations and the absence of national standards for these…

Khar Students Protest Lack Of Facilities In College

BAJAUR: The students of the Government Postgraduate College Khar here on October 7 staged a protest demonstration by blocking the main Bajaur-Mardan Artery to press for resolution of their issues. Scores of students attended the demonstration held outside the college’s main gate at the main Bajaur-Mardan Road. The protesting students,…

Floods Dampen Pakistan’s Growth Outlook

• World Bank cuts forecast by 0.5pc, predicts inflation may shoot to 7.2pc; exports to decline 1.5pc • WB official says removing barriers to women’s participation in job market can boost GDP per capita by 20-30pc ISLAMABAD: The World Bank on October 7 cut its growth forecast for Pakistan by…
Go toTop