Rio de Janeiro.- The Brazilian and Dominican governments have signed a cooperation agreement for setting up a human breast milk bank, according to the Brazilian health ministry. Officials from both countries drew up an International Technical Cooperation Agreement to help Dominican professionals set up the bank in the Dominican capital Santo Domingo.

The project, which is aimed at reducing the Dominican Republic's infant mortality levels, will start operating in the second week of March, will last for one year and will have a US$43,000 budget.

Next month a Dominican delegation will be visiting the Human Milk Bank in Brasilia’s Taguatinga regional hospital, considered a center of excellence in the Brazilian network of similar establishments.

This visit will be followed by a visit by Brazilian experts to Santo Domingo, to examine the structure and resources available for setting up the project in the city, and to train Dominicans in the technical and administrative aspects of the bank's operation.

Brazil has 20 years of experience in this area, and the breast milk bank model has been exported to Cuba, Uruguay and Venezuela. Another three countries are negotiating a similar agreement to that reached with the Dominican Republic, according to the Brazilian health ministry.