The Philippine Star

DOH issues guidelines for human milk banks

- By SHEILA CRISOSTOMO

he Department of ealth D has come out with guidelines for the successful and safe establishm­ent and implementa­tion of human milk banks .

n a statement, the D said the anual of perations for will strengthen the promotion of breastfeed­ing.

he concept of human milk banking is especially critical in situations when breastfeed­ing directly from the mother is not possible, such as babies in difficult conditions, sickness or when the mother died,” the D said.

he D said pasteuri ed milk is also needed during emergencie­s.

t ser es to answer a tem porary need only until the infant can directly breastfeed from the mother,” the D said.

he D formulated the manual in coordinati­on with local experts who ha e experi ence in human milk banking.

hey had set standard guidelines appropriat­e for the country.

t present, the three pio neers in human milk banking in the country are the hilip pine hildren s edical en ter, Dr. ose abella emorial ospital and the hilippine eneral ospital.

hey started the in , and , respec ti ely.

he at the ambo anga edical enter and in angkal, akati are now op erational, the D said.

he D has been promot ing exclusi e breastfeed­ing during the first six months of an infant s life.

rocessed milk or water must not be gi en to babies in this age group.

reastmilk has been pro en effecti e in reducing the risk of sepsis or blood infec tion, diarrhea, pneumonia, ear infections, sudden infant death syndrome, skin aller gies and asthma among the newborns.

ased on a sur ey of the ood and utrition esearch nstitute of the Department of Science and echnology, the in crease in exclusi e breastfeed ing in the hilippines is low.

he sur ey showed that in , the rate was . percent, but it rose to . in and to . percent in .

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