Readiness and acceptance: knowledge, attitude and awareness on human milk donation towards the establishment of human milk bank in a tertiary teaching hospital

Introduction: Breast milk is universally acknowledged as the optimal source of infant nutrition, providing complete nourishment during the early months of life. In Malaysia, the Ministry of Health has targeted a 70% rate of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life by 2025. However, many mothers encounter difficulties in breastfeeding or producing adequate milk, which has driven the establishment of human milk banks as an alternative to ensure that vulnerable infants receive safe donor milk. A hospital-based human milk bank, adhering to Shariah compliance, was formally approved to operate at the IIUM teaching hospital. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of staff at the hospital regarding human milk donation and the establishment of a milk bank. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 321 participants selected through simple random sampling. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed across departments following ethical approval from IIUM, and data were analysed using SPSS. Results: The majority of participants demonstrated good knowledge (93%) and awareness (60%) of human milk donation and the role of the human milk bank, while attitudes were generally fair (50%). A statistically significant association was identified between knowledge and attitude with awareness of human milk donation (p-value ≤ 0.05). Most of the participants were also aware and well-informed of the establishment of the human milk bank within the institution. Conclusion: Participants in this study demonstrated adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, and awareness regarding human milk donation and the hospital-based milk bank. These findings indicate readiness among hospital staff to support the development, acceptance, and sustainability of a human milk bank.