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QC health department urges lactating mothers to donate to human milk bank


Quezon City Human Milk Bank (QCHMB) executive director Dr. Catherine Reportoso on Wednesday echoed the Quezon City Health Department's (QCHD) call for donations from healthy, lactating mothers.

The QCHMB, established in 2015 at the Quezon City General Hospital, has received 56,304 milliliters of breast milk donated by 629 mothers through a series of milk-letting activities in different towns.

“Alam naman natin na ang breast milk can save lives. Dagdagan nang dagdagan ang donation nating milk sa Quezon City General Hospital kasi ‘yun ang ginagamit ng mga batang may low birth weight talaga," QCHD head Dr. Verdades Peña-Linga said in a statement.

She added, "It can decrease neonatal mortality. So, ang ayaw nating mangyari sa Quezon City ay mamamatayan tayo ng mga babies dahil sa kakulangan ng nutrisyon, especially human milk."

Just this March, milk-letting drives were organized at the Batasan Lying-in Clinic, Kamuning Clinic, Gulod Health Center, Baesa Health Center, Tatalon Health Center, Bagong Pag-asa Health Center and Project 4 Health Center.

The breast milk collected from these events are processed at the QCHMB and then distributed to city-owned hospitals.

Since the inception of the QCHMB two years ago, the QCHD has established partnership with several hospitals including East Avenue Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Capitol Medical Center, AFP Medical Center, FEU - Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, World Citi Medical Center, Dr. Jesus Delgado Memorial Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Novaliches District Hospital, National Children’s Hospital, Fairview General Hospital, and Bernardino General Hospital.

These hospitals have affirmed their commitment to create breastfeeding support group to improve neonatal health.

QCHD also offers free immunization package for babies from 0 to 15 months to strengthen and protect babies from common illnesses. Free tetanus toxoid vaccines and iron tablets are given to mothers to encourage professionally-assisted child births. —ALG, GMA News

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