First human milk bank in Muntinlupa launched
The first human milk bank in Muntinlupa has been established at the city government-run Ospital ng Muntinlupa (Osmun) in Alabang.
“Donated breastmilk helps to save the lives of premature and sick babies whose mothers are unable, for many reasons, to provide them with sufficient breastmilk of their own,” according to the Human Milk Bank Philippines website.
“It is a pleasure to the City Government of Muntinlupa to have Ospital ng Muntinlupa house the first human milk bank in the city,” Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon said.
Biazon thanked the Rotary Club Muntinlupa-filinvest and Rotary Club South Korea for the project, saying, “They could have chosen other places, pero pinili nila ang Muntinlupa (but they chose Muntinlupa).”
He said the human milk bank will help to realize his administration’s health agenda especially for infants with critical conditions who are in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Osmun.
A human milk pasteurizer donated by the Rotary Club was delivered to Muntinlupa last December.
The Muntinlupa City government is expecting the delivery of supplies and equipment, purchased by the City Health Office through the fund of the Muntinlupa Gender And Development Office, in the second quarter.
Biazon said once these are delivered, the human milk bank can start milk-letting activities.
“This will be of immense help sa mga batang nasa NICU, and as we look at it, we are saving lives through this project,” he said.
The Human Milk Bank Philippines added, “Women who have decided to breastfeed will how important breastmilk is for babies. It is especially important for babies who are sick or premature. Giving these babies breastmilk increases their chances of survival and helps their long-term development. Sometimes mothers of these tiny babies cannot feed them because they are ill themselves, or under too much stress to produce enough milk. Milk banks recruit breastfeeding mothers to donate some of their surplus breastmilk or to regularly express milk for the bank.”