The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced on Friday that it is expanding the NC Human Donor Milk Program by adding five new depots across the state.
The goal of this expansion is to make more pasteurized human donor milk available to help support the health of infants, especially those who are premature or have medical conditions.
“This expansion shows our dedication to ensuring every infant in North Carolina has the nourishment they need to grow and thrive,” said Dr. Kelly Kimple, Acting Director of the NCDHHS Division of Public Health.
Pasteurized human donor milk (PHDM) is used in hospitals to reduce the risk of serious illnesses like necrotizing enterocolitis, a dangerous intestinal disease that can affect premature or low-birth-weight infants.
“Pasteurized human donor milk provides essential nutrition to hospitalized infants who need it,” said Kerrie Gottschall, MSN, RN, Manager of the Mothers’ Milk Bank at WakeMed Health & Hospitals.
The new depots will be in Fayetteville, Durham, Sylva, Charlotte, and Elizabeth City.