The Hong Kong Children’s Hospital on Thursday said it would open the SAR's first breast milk bank next year.

It would collect milk from breastfeeding mothers who produce surplus milk, which would then be used to help premature and critically ill babies whose mothers were unable to breastfeed.

The bank would only accept donations from healthy mothers who don't smoke.

Dr Lee Tsz-leung, the hospital's chief executive, said the donated breast milk would benefit the health of premature babies.

"It carries significant benefits for pre-term babies. It will reduce complication. It will reduce mortality rate. It will reduce the length of stay in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and also it will promote the neurological development of these premature babies as well," he said.

The aim is to collect about 800 litres of milk each year, which would benefit up to 600 newborns.