ILOILO City – Good news to lactating moms! The Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance establishing a human milk bank to support women and children in need of breast milk.
The proponent, Councilor Candice Magdalane Tupas, said having a milk bank “would encourage mothers to donate their breast milk.”
“This will be used by sickly, neonate (newborn) in the ICU (intensive care unit). If we have a pasteurization machine, we can share it and refer it to other hospitals. And we can even give milk to other provinces,” said Tupas, a doctor by profession.
She said it is essential to establish human milk banks to provide access to breast milk when mothers become sick or are unable to breastfeed their babies.
However, the establishment of the facility depends on the availability of funds. Around P8 million is needed to establish one, Tupas said.
She noted that there are some non-government organizations advocating breastfeeding that are willing to donate a pasteurization machine, which is among the equipment needed but costly.
Tupas had spoken with City Health Office chief Dr. Annabelle Tang and the latter assured her that “kung mapasar na naton ang ordinace, ma-include na sya sa plano sa future city hospital.”
Earlier, Tupas said the milk bank is timely with the plan of Mayor Jerry Treñas for the city to have its own hospital.
Under the ordinance, there will be a creation of a human milk bank section in the city-owned hospital’s pediatric department or a maternity clinic.
The human milk bank section, among others, will collect, screen, process, store, and distribute donated human milk. It will also be composed of trained and dedicated health personnel in human milk banking and lactation management.
These include lactating consultant, medical technologist, and nurse.
It also needs to draft necessary rules and regulation providing for the qualifications and benefits of prospective milk donor.
Tupas said any mothers even from outside Iloilo City can donate their breast milk.
A human milk bank facility shall also be set up which will include areas for processing milk, storage of milk, reception/collection are and office/administrative area.
The lady councilor said the milk processing and storage area requires about 650 square feet of space. Standard equipment includes separate freezers for storing raw pasteurized milk, a pasteurizer, a refrigerator, among others.
There must be hand washing area and milk expression area.
The ordinance also stipulates the creation of Iloilo City human milk bank committee which shall lead in the implementation of the ordinance./PN
