CEBU CITY, Philippines —Mothers who can produce breastmilk more than enough for their own children may soon have an avenue to spare milk for other infants whose mothers are, in one way or another, unable to feed them with their own milk.
On Thursday, January 31, 2019, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) inaugurated its Human Milk Bank, a facility that can preserve milk donated by lactating mothers.
Dr. Ramon Narrajo, chairman of VSMMC’s Department of Pediatrics, said the Milk Bank will be operational as soon as they complete the necessary infrastructure and equipment for the facility.
“There are I think nine equipment that we will need. Right now, about three or four equipment are already present at the Milk Bank now,” Narrajo told CDN Digital in an interview after the inauguration.
Once operational, Narrajo said the milk bank will service mothers and infants regardless if they gave birth inside the hospital or not. Breastmilk stored in the milk bank is good for feeding up to six months.
“Priority lang ang atong hospital, but this is open to all. There will be very minimal fees kay para duna tay funding nga mo-sustain but rest assured the goal would really be to help,” Narrajo added.
According to Narrajo, they also look forward that the Human Milk Bank facility will be replicated in other hospitals in order to help more infants and mothers. /bjo