Baguilod, chairman Committee on Health of the 20th City Councili authored the ordinance titled Davao City Human Milk Bank.
She emphasized the need to establish Lactarium Davao as its first community- based owned human breast milk bank for 0-2-year-old babies needing breast milk whose mothers may or may not be residents in the city.
Baguilod during Tuesday’s (April 16) Aprubado sa Konseho media briefing said that this initiative is pursuant to Republic Act 10028, or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009.
Based on the proposed ordinance, this initiative shall apply to all health and non-health institutions in Davao, whether operating for profit or not, where milk banks are to be established for storage of breastmilk donated by mothers and which have undergone pasteurization.
“Ang atong human milk bank is a breastmilk from our breasfeeding mothers kay nakita nato nga daghan gyud mga moms nga dili sila abundant nga makahatag ug milk. Ang atong model ani is ang atong SPMC. They have already their milk bank and same pod sa ilaha di pod always naa nagapangayo gihapon. So tungod ani makahelp pod ta sa atong city naa pod tay milk bank nato,” Baguilod said.
Both health and non-health institutions where milk banks may be established include, but are not limited to, medical centers, regional hospitals and workplaces.
The human milk bank should only be used as a temporary solution when the mother and baby are separated. The stored breastmilk will primarily be given to children in the neonatal intensive care unit whose own mothers are seriously ill.
Mothers of human milk bank recipients should undergo counselling in lactation or re-lactation by trained milk bank personnel.
Baguilod said the proposed ordinance is now at City Health Office for corrections, comments, and suggestions afterwhich it will be calendared for plenary session.
She said her committee had already conducted three hearings discussing the proposed measure.
She said the city will also be allocating appropriate funds for the establishment of the human milk banks as this will need equipment and machines as well as manpower to man the centers.
The city is planning to put the milk bank at Sta. Ana Health center.
Councilor Richlyn Baguilod