Microsoft Word - IJHHS IMAM 23rd ASC 2022


  
 

 S8

PLENARY 4  

 
Syariah Compliant Milk Bank: The Need and Issues  
Syed Abdul Khaliq1  
  
World Health Organisation (WHO) defines premature infants as those babies born before the completed 
37th week of pregnancy (Turner-Maffei et al., 2014).  Malaysian National Neonatal Registry (MNNR), 
reported an increase in the rate of premature births. This is also the trend seen worldwide. Premature 
babies, as they born prior to period of maturity, they are physically and physiologically still immature; 
their brain is immature, their eyes, their heart, their kidney, their gastrointestinal tract, their kidney and 
even their immune system are still very immature. Many may need admission into intensive care wards 
and special care nurseries to support, close monitoring and help them grow stronger. They are prone for 
infection, as their skin are still fragile, and they are not able to surmount an adequate immune response 
to fight off infection. Ensuring premature babies having access to breastmilk is of utter 
importance.  Breastmilk has the protective capabilities such as the IgA, to prevent them from getting 
infections, breastmilk is more tolerable for premature babies and is proven to prevent serious diseases 
such as Necrotising Enterocolitis. Some mothers, however, cannot breastfeed their child and cannot 
supply expressed breastmilk due to various reasons.  Therefore, there is a critical need for the 
development of milk bank. Milk Bank is not new, it is rather common in many countries. In fact, it is 
well established in the United States, United Kingdom and many other developed countries. The 
establishment of these milk banks has saved and protected the lives of newborn babies, especially the 
those premature. However, for Muslims, the issue arised in regards the issue of milk-kinship. The 97th 
Conference of the Fatwa Committee National Council for Islamic Religious Affair of Malaysia held on 
15th – 17th December 2011 to forbid the establishment of milk bank in Malaysia. Thus, establishment 
of a syariah-compliant human milk bank is of a dire need.  
  
Keywords: Milk bank; breastmilk; religion; muslim  

  
1. Hospital Pakar An-Nur, Jalan Gerbang Wawasan 1, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor.  

 

 

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Correspondence to: Dr. Syed Abdul Khaliq, Consultant Neonatologist & General Pediatrician in 
Hospital Pakar An-Nur, Jalan Gerbang Wawasan 1, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. 
drsyedkhaliq@gmail.com   

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31344/ijhhs.v7i70.511