Children’s hospitals of Việt Nam, Laos exchange learning on newborn nutrition

A delegation from the Lao Friendship Hospital for Children and Deirdre Ní Fhallúin, Ambassador of Ireland to Việt Nam visited the Vietnamese National Children’s Hospital in Hà Nội on Tuesday. Photos courtesy of the National Children’s Hospital

HÀ NỘI — A delegation from the Lao Friendship Hospital for Children visited the Vietnamese National Children’s Hospital in Hà Nội on Tuesday to exchange experiences in managing medical equipment and the operation of the human milk bank, with a focus on ensuring optimal nutrition and healthcare for children.

The learning visit was facilitated by the Alive&Thrive initiative managed by FHI 360 and supported by the Government of Ireland, under the scope of the regional programme to address malnutrition among vulnerable populations in Cambodia, Laos and Việt Nam.

As part of the visit, the delegation toured the Human Milk Bank, the Kangaroo Mother Care and Intensive Treatment Centre within the Neonatal Unit of the National Children’s Hospital.

Associate Professor Dr Trần Minh Điển, director of the Vietnamese National Children’s Hospital, said: “The establishment of the Human Milk Bank is a prime example of the positive impact of the hospital’s international partnerships. Alive&Thrive and the Government of Ireland significantly supported us in terms of technical processes and some essential equipment to ensure the bank's smooth operation.

“Thanks to this support, we are able to provide pasteurised donor milk to patients at our hospital and across the Hà Nội area. Notably, during Typhoon Yagi in September, we promptly supported Quảng Ninh Provincial Hospital’s Milk Bank with pasteurised milk to ensure children received adequate nutrition during the storm’s aftermath.”

He said the hospital is committed to working alongside the Government of Ireland and Alive&Thrive to transfer technical expertise and facilitate exchange visits and training, thereby helping to establish Human Milk Banks in other areas of Việt Nam, as well as in Laos and Cambodia.

The delegation visited the Human Milk Bank at the National Children's Hospital in Hà Nội.

Ambassador of Ireland to Việt Nam, Deirdre Ní Fhallúin, said the Irish government’s commitment to the Human Milk Bank initiative in Việt Nam, through the global development assistance programme, aims to alleviate hunger, improve nutrition and foster healthcare cooperation between the two countries.

In Southeast Asia, the Government of Ireland, in partnership with Alive&Thrive/ FHI 360 in Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia, has pledged to provide technical support to strengthen and expand the benefits of breastfeeding.

The Human Milk Bank of the Vietnamese National Children’s Hospital, was established in March 2022 in Hà Nội, the first such facility.

After more than two years of operation, it now processes approximately 350–400 litres of donated breast milk monthly, providing essential nutrition for thousands of neonatal patients under treatment at the hospital. — VNS