DOH encourages companies to create lactation stations in workplaces

The Department of Health (DOH) urged companies to establish lactation stations in their workplaces to encourage new mothers to breastfeed, GMA News TV's "Balitanghali" reported on Friday.

 

Health Asec. Paulyn Jean Ubial said this may lead to a decrease in infant death as there was a "50 percent difference in the survival and mortality rate" among infants not exclusively breastfed and those regularly weaned on mother's milk.

 

She added that promoting the practice would also help lower the country's malnutrition rates.

 

According to Unicef, the Philippines has the lowest breastfeeding rate—estimated at 28 percent from the most recent national nutrition survey—in the world.

 

Unicef wrote in July that breastfeeding infants under two years of ages may potentially prevent over "800,000 deaths (13 per cent of all deaths) in children under five in the developing world."
 

Dr. Anthony Calibo, DOH Disease Prevention and Control Medical Specialist, said mothers also needed access to health specialists to walk them through deterrents such as plugged milk ducts.

 

"Kinakailangan niya na may matatakbuhan siya na isang health worker, isang tawag ka lang, or saan ako pwedeng pumunta kung may problema ako," he said.

 

He also called the constant promotion of formulas an obstruction for the promotion of breastfeeding.

 

"Balakid kung bakit mababa pa rin po ang breastfeeding rates ay 'yung tinatawag nating pamamayagpag ng mga commercial ng mga milk formulas sa ating bansa," Calibo explained. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News