A BIG boost was received by the Human Milk Bank (HMB) of the Justice Abad Santos General Hospital (JJASGH), when it got a new donation of (HMB) equipment in line with its advocacy to support and save lives through the provision of healthy breastmilk for the children of Manila. The said HMB has aided mothers and babies by having given a total of 1,078.81 liters of breastmilk to date.
The simple turnover ceremony of the Pasteurizer Model PAS10000 held at the said hospital was led by Mayor Honey Lacuna, Vice Mayor Yul Servo and JJASGH Director Dr. Merle Sacdalan-Faustino, who said that “the occasion marks the continued partnership of JJASGH and the ever-generous and compassionate Rotary Club, particularly the Rotary Club International, Rotary Club of Chinatown Manila and its member clubs all over the world.” Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FCCCII) external affairs committee chair Nelson Guevarra and MCBO president and barangay chair Jefferson Lau were also present in the said turnover.
Lacuna said the hospital’s Milk Bank Unit has served the city for the past six years and to date, has saved 1,600 lives through the feeding of safe and healthy human breastmilk. It has also secured and pasteurized a total of 1,175.49 liters of milk by tapping the community’s mothers and influencing them to donate milk for the sustenance of babies by giving incentives such as food and tokens of appreciation.
The Milk Bank Unit of JJASGH, which is headed by Faustino as head of the hospital’s executive committee and Dr. Rosita Yu, a pediatric specialist who has given her time and effort to raise the unit to greater heights, continues to encourage donors to be a part of the advocacy of breastfeeding and breastmilk sustenance for children. The JJASGH is one of the six hospitals being run by the city government of Manila which all provide free medical services to the city residents.
Lacuna said that based on the data she received, the list of institutions that have tapped JJASGH’s Human Milk Bank Unit include the following: Philippine General Hospital, St. Luke’s Medical Center, UST Hospital, MCU Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Jose Reyes Medical Center, Manila Doctors Hospital, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jesus C. Delgado Memorial Hospital, Laguna Doctors, FEU Medical Center, Metropolitan Medical Center, Las Piñas Doctors, Hospital of Infant Jesus, Parañaque Doctors, Delos Santos Medical Center, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center and the Sta. Ana Hospital.
The mayor said that the JJASGH Human Milk Bank Unit has also consistently helped those in need during this COVID-19 pandemic.
During the recent Taal Volcanic eruption, Faustino reported that JJASGH sent aid to the mothers in the form of breastmilk, as well as the very important and empowering gift — education on breastfeeding and human milk banking where at least 250 mothers were given lectures on these invaluable topics.
Lacuna hailed the efforts of Faustino in making the aspect of education and sharing of knowledge evident also at the OutPatient Department of JJASGH where everyday, the Human Milk Bank counselors share their expertise with the mothers so that to date, an estimated 350,000 mothers have been educated through “Mother’s Classes.”
The JJASGH Human Milk Bank Unit was established in May 2016 through the combined efforts of the JJASGH Executive Committee and its Human Milk Bank Team and through the funding and support of the Rotary International District 3810, Philippines, Rotary International District 2820, Japan, Rotary International District 3661, South Korea with contributions from Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu South, Malaysia D3310, Rotary Club of Busan Kwangbok, South Korea D3661, Rotary Club of Kaohsiung South, Taiwan D3510, Rotary Club of Tomobe, Japan D2820 and Rotary Club of Chinatown Manila D3810. (Baby Cuevas)
