QCGH BREAST MILK DAYON AUGUST 5
About 100 mothers will troop to the city-owned Quezon City General Hospital (QCGH) on August 5(Wednesday) to donate their breast milk.
The milk gifting activity dubbed as “ Alay na gatas ko, sagip sa buhay mo,” a project of the QCGH management, led by hospital director Josephine Sabando, is one of the events lined-up for the celebration of the Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
QC Mayor Herbert M. Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte will lead city hall officials in the opening rites of the event at QCGH 5th floor SB Hall around 8 am on August 5.
Aside from the milk donating activity, breast pumps will be turned over to seven (7) QC Health Department Lying-In Clinics to encourage more breastfeeding mothers to donate their breast milk to babies in need especially those in critically-ill condition.
Included among the lying-in clinics that will serve as milk depots are the San Francisco Lying-In, Batasan Hills Lying-In, Betty Go Belmonte Lying-In, Murphy Lying-In, Kamuning Lying-In, Arsenio Maximo Lying-In, and Sta. Lucia Lying-In.
The breast milk that will be donated will be processed in the so-called pasteurization procedure before it will be dispensed to babies.
At present, QC has 500 breastfeeding support groups, composed of volunteers from different barangays that are willing to assist mothers who encounter problems in breastfeeding their babies.
Hepa – B screening for patients with no Hepa – B test will also be conducted during the QCGH event especially for mothers who want to donate breast milk. This is aimed to reduce the health risks from donated milk.
The city-owned and operated hospital launched last March the QC breast milk bank project as a way of reducing the infant mortality rate in the city.
The establishment of the QC milk bank is an offshoot of an ordinance principally authored by Councilor Ally Medalla in 2012. The milk bank under the ordinance shall be operated on a non-profit basis but minimal processing fee shall be charged to cover for screening, processing and administrative costs. The ordinance is in accordance with Republic Act 10028, otherwise known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009.
The QCGH is offering incentives for those who will be breast milk donors, in the form of free hospital service, depending on the amount of donated breast milk. For instance, a 500 ml breast milk contributed entitles a donor to a free consultation at QCGH.
Mayor Bautista is supportive of the breastfeeding program, recognizing its importance in promoting nutrition for babies, especially those born with conditions associated with prematurity. He wants to bring the breastfeeding program to the city’s health centers and all of the 142 barangays.
The QC government operates a breastfeeding station within the city hall compound as part of the city’s campaign to promote breastfeeding among mothers and even in workplaces. It also encourages all establishments in the city, including business establishments like SM department stores, to provide breastfeeding stations for their employees and visitors.(Maureen Quiñones, PAISO)
Posted By: Edrillan Pasion
