The Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank said on Tuesday it is making good progress in recruiting donors.

The milk bank's director, Rosanna Wong, said it has received more than 100 calls from potential donors since the launch of the facility's website in November.

"Since the opening of our website, we have actually received a lot of phone calls. More than 100 potential moms have already contacted us. So after today, we are going to contact them, actively support them, hopefully they could be donors at the end," Wong said.

The facility, located at the Hong Kong Children's Hospital, started operation on Monday.

It aims to collect 1,000 litres of milk a year, which Wong said would require 150 to 200 donors, each contributing at least 5 litres.

If the annual target is met, it can be supplied to 450 to 600 premature babies born before 32 weeks, or critically-ill newborns in nine public hospitals.

A donor, Yoyo Chan, who has an eight-month-old daughter, said she wants to help other premature babies after two previous miscarriages.

"When I know that there's a breast milk bank, I decided to do it because I want to bless and contribute to the premature babies. At least I can do something to help them," Chan said.

The facility's advanced practice nurse Christine Lam said a face-to-face interview will be conducted with prospective donors.

To qualify as donors, the mothers must be healthy, must not smoke nor drink alcohol, and are currently breastfeeding a baby under one year old.

They will also have to take a blood test once every three months, and to inform staff of the facility whether they are taking medicines.

The milk bank will offer milk bottles and pouches to donors and arrange couriers to collect their milk.