QUEZON CITY, Aug. 7 (PIA)–Some100 mothers donated their breast milk to the Quezon City Milk Bank during Quezon City’s milk gifting activity held Wednesday, August 5, in celebration of the Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
Aside from the milk donating activity, the city government also turned over breast pumps to seven QC Health Department Lying-In clinics to encourage more breastfeeding mothers to donate their breast milk to babies in need, especially those in critical conditions.
During the activity, the Quezon City General Hospital (QCGH) also conducted free Hepa – B screening for mothers who want to donate their breast milk to reduce the health risk from donated milk.
The breast milk that were donated will undergo pasteurization to prolong its shelf life before it will be dispensed to babies.
The seven lying-in clinics that have been identified to serve as milk depots where nursing mothers can go include San Francisco, Batasan Hills, Betty Go Belmonte, Murphy, Kamuning, Arsenio Maximo, and Sta. Lucia Lying-In.
QC has 578 breastfeeding support groups, composed of volunteers from different barangays who are willing to assist mothers who encounter problems in breastfeeding their babies.
The city launched the QC milk bank project last March as a way to reduce infant mortality rate in the city, as well as promote breastfeeding.
The Quezon City milk banks will be operated on a non-profit basis but a minimal processing fee shall be charged for screening, processing, and administrative costs.
The QCGH is also offering incentives to those who will donate breast milk, in the form of free hospital services, depending on the amount of donated breast milk. For instance, a 500 ml breast milk contributed entitled a donor to a free consultation at QCGH.
The QC government also 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 malls, to provide breastfeeding stations for employees and their clients or visitors. (QC/PAISO/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)
