Cagayan de Oro eyes human milk bank

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – From advocating health and wellness for women and mothers, the Cagayan de Oro City Nutrition Committee (CNC) said it will put up a human milk bank at the J.R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) adding to the existing milk bank at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) here.

“So by 2022, gipaningkamutan sa Cagayan de Oro City nga ma-establish na gyod ang Human Milk Bank. As of now, on-going pa ang processing, nagbuhat pa sa building, magpalit pa sa mga equipment para sa human milk bank,” said Caroline Cabunoc, the CNC Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding coordinator. 

But Cabunoc still discourages mothers to depend on milk donations, but to instead practice exclusive nursing or breastfeeding, especially when they have no health concerns.

 

“Wala nato gina-encourage atong mga ginikanan nga mangayo og human milk sa atong milk bank. Ato gyud silang gina-encourage nga sila jud mismo ang muhatag og milk, sila ang magpadede sa ilang anak kay mas maayo man gyud to kay kung constant ang pagkuha sa milk sa breast sa mama, the more milk it will produce. Dapat ikaw nga ginikanan if wala ka'y ginabati, walay mga kakulian, ikaw gyud among gina-encourage nga ikaw mismo ang magpatotoy,” Cabunoc said.

The realization of the human milk bank here is made possible by the CNC and its working committee, including Dr. Stephanie Denise Alagadan, who heads the Department of Pediatrics at J.R. Borja General Hospital; and consultant Dr. Jessamine Sareno, of Maria Reyna Xavier University Hospital, and the City Health Office that will train health personnel in collecting milk and how to incubate it, to ensure supply of donated human milk.

Aside from the human milk bank, CNC’s prenatal services are persistent, which are provided for free in 54 health centers. It include nutrition programs, iron and calcium supplementations, counselling for pregnancy related concerns, and breastfeeding support groups.

 

To further respond to the needs of women, lying-in clinics established, priority lanes for COVID-19 vaccinations are provided to mothers in their third month of pregnancy and to lactating mothers. There are also family planning services, and breastfeeding rooms and adolescent-friendly corners in health facilities. (Rexcelle Tolentino)