First human milk bank in Negros inaugurated

BACOLOD City – The first human milk bank in Negros Island was inaugurated, this morning, at the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.

It is a project of the Rotary Club of Metro Bacolod in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental that aims to help newborns get the breastmilk that they need.

Negros Occidental Gov. Bong Lacson led the inauguration of the facility, together with Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, Provincial Consultant on Economic Affairs and former 3rd District representative, Albee Benitez, TLJPH Chief of Hospital, Dr. Mary Ann Maestral, Hospital Operations Department Head, Dr. Girlie Pinongan, Dr. Jean Alojado, head of TLJPH Pediatrics Department, and Jeinz Kreistein Salgado and Joey Jay Doctora of the Rotary Club, among others.

The milk bank will receive breast milk from breastfeeding mothers, and provide proper pasteurization and storage, as some mothers cannot produce sufficient amounts of breastmilk for their newborns after giving birth. It will be available for free, particularly to indigent families.

Gov. Lacson thanked the Rotary and its chapters, for being a partner of the provincial government in achieving multifaceted goals.

“This milk bank is an answer to the growing need for breastmilk, not just for optimum nutrition, but most importantly, to save the lives of Negrense babies, especially the vulnerable and premature ones,” the governor said.