Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank to Launch Services for Newborns on January 6, 2025

Hospital Authority "Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank" to commence service on January 6 next year

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (December 31) that the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank (HKBMB), located at the Hong Kong Children's Hospital, will commence service on January 6, 2025. In the initial phase of service commencement, the HKBMB will recruit donors and accept breast milk donation, while the second phase of services is expected to begin in March of the same year, providing breast milk to premature or critically-ill newborns. This marks a milestone in neonatal medical services, providing a healthy start for the most vulnerable lives.

Director of the HKBMB, Dr Rosanna Wong,stated, "Breast milk is the best food for babies, providing nourishment and multiple health benefits. However, some mothers of extremely premature or critically-ill newborns are unable to breastfeed for various reasons. We appeal to eligible mothers who are currently breastfeeding to generously donate their breast milk to support these needy newborns, allowing them to receive adequate comprehensive nutrition and establish a protective barrier for their health."

Dr Wong added that, for preterm and sick babies, breast milk can offer protection from infections, feeding intolerance and life-threatening complications such as necrotising enterocolitis, and foster better long-term growth and development.

Donors have to be currently lactating, and their babies have to be under one year old. Mothers interested in becoming donors can register through the following methods:

Submit a form on the HKBMB official website (https://www31.ha.org.hk/hkch/SupportUs/HKBMB/HowToBecome);

Reach the HKBMB at 3513 6688; or

Contact the lactation clinic at HA hospitals (for those who have delivered in the respective hospitals)

Upon receiving donor registration, staff from the HKBMB or lactation clinics will invite potential donors for face-to-face interview, completion of assessment questionnaire, and blood tests. Eligible donors will sign a consent form for breast milk donation, after which healthcare personnel will provide details regarding the donation process and appropriate support. The HKBMB will arrange qualified courier to collect breast milk from the donors' homes and deliver it to the HKBMB for further processing, adhering to strict standards. Donors can complete the entire donation process in the comfort of their own home, making it simple and convenient.

To ensure safety and quality, breast milk collected will undergo a robust processing system of pasteurisation, microbiological testing and nutritional analysis, all under precise temperature control. Then it will be supplied to nine public hospitals with neonatal intensive care units for prescribing to premature and critically-ill newborns. The HKBMB hopes to collect 1000 litres of breast milk annually, benefiting 450 to 600 premature and critically-ill newborns.

For more information on donating breast milk, please visit the HKBMB website (www.ha.org.hk/hkch/hkbmb) or refer to the pamphlet (see Annex). Pamphlets are also available at the Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Paediatrics departments in public hospitals, as well as Maternal and Child Health Centres under the Department of Health.

Hospital Authority "Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank" to commence service on January 6 next year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hospital Authority "Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank" to commence service on January 6 next year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hospital Authority "Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank" to commence service on January 6 next year Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Meeting attendance of members of District Councils in 2024

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) made the following clarifications today (January 2) regarding certain media reports on the meeting attendance of the current-term members of the District Councils (DCs) in 2024:

(1) The current-term DC members were diligent in their work, with over 98 per cent of 470 members having attended all DC meetings or were only absent with the DC's consent; over 90 per cent having attended all committee/working group meetings or were only absent with the DC's consent. Aside from attending DC meetings, each DC member on average attended 28 committee/working group meetings;

(2) all DC members fulfilled the requirement under the Performance Monitoring Guidelines for Members of the DCs (the Guidelines), i.e. attendance rate of not lower than 80 per cent and no DC members were in violation of the requirement; certain reports were incorrect in stating that some DC members were in violation of the Guidelines due to their absence at meetings since absence at an individual meeting was not a violation in itself; and

(3) for the purpose of calculating attendance, the Guidelines stipulate certain reasons for absence that would be consented by the DCs, including sickness and attendance at another meeting or an activity on behalf of the DCs etc. If a DC member were absent from meetings due to the aforementioned reasons with the DC's consent, the absence would not affect his/her attendance rate. If a DC member were absent from meetings due to other reasons (i.e. personal matters), the absence would be counted towards his/her attendance rate.

​The HAD hoped that media outlets and members of the public would have an accurate understanding of DC members' attendance situation at meetings. The current-term DC members' attendance rate at meetings was the highest amongst all previous terms, which fully demonstrated DC members' efforts and work in improving governance at the district level.