Controversy halts Pakistan’s first human milk bank at Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology

Pakistan’s first attempt to establish a human milk bank at the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN) in Karachi has faced an abrupt suspension. The initiative, initially celebrated for its potential to aid premature and malnourished infants through donated breast milk, has been halted following a revised religious ruling or fatwa from the influential Darul Uloom Karachi seminary.

Initially, in December 2023, Darul Uloom Karachi had issued a fatwa endorsing the milk bank as compliant with Islamic laws, provided detailed records of donors and recipients were maintained to respect the concept of ‘milk kinship.’ However, this stance was reversed in a recent fatwa, citing the need for further guidance from Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology, and concerns over religious and cultural sensitivities. This decision mirrors challenges faced by similar initiatives in the Muslim world, such as a shut-down operation in Bangladesh in 2019 due to religious opposition.

The core issue revolves around the Islamic concept of milk kinship, which asserts that a child breastfed by a woman who is not their biological mother creates a familial bond that prohibits future marital relations between that child and the woman’s biological children. This traditional view has posed significant barriers to the adoption of human milk banks in regions with strong Islamic legal frameworks.

The controversy underscores a critical tension between advancing medical health initiatives and adhering to religious doctrines. “Our primary goal remains the health and well-being of children, and we are committed to finding solutions that honor both our medical and religious responsibilities,” stated an official from SICHN. The institute remains hopeful about finding a middle ground that respects both health imperatives and religious beliefs.