The Rotary Club of Timog Quezon City has been a key mover in the establishment of several Human Milk Banks all over the Philippines.
What is a Human Milk Bank?
A Human Milk Bank (HMB) is a service established for the purpose of collecting, screening, processing, storing, and distributing donated human milk to meet the specific needs of individual for whom human milk is prescribed. These individual include preterm babies, critically-ill neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis, feeding intolerance, immunodeficiency diseases, allergies, inborn errors of metabolism and the like who are admitted in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
Breastmilk has been proven by clinical and research studies to be the best source of nutrition for the infant because of its compelling nutritional, immune protective, neurodevelopmental, psychological, social, economic and environmental benefits. Its components are not replicated by artificial formula so that infants who do not have access to their own mother’s milk, a donor milk can be life-saving. It is the best alternative feeding option for both full term and preterm infants.
First Human Milk Bank Project
The initial Human Milk Bank project of the Club was a donation of a milk pasteurizer to the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila. This was inspired by Cindy Paderna, the late spouse of Past President Francis Paderna. This project was funded by a Global Grant by The Rotary Foundation, with international partner club RC Daejeon Jeil of South Korea.
Nationwide Milk Banking
At present (2019) the Club has helped establish the following Human Milk Banks across the Philippines:
- Metro Manila
- Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital
- Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center
- Luzon
- Jose B. Lingad Medical Center (Central Luzon)
- Bicol Medical Center (Bicol Region)
- Cagayan Valley Medical Center (Cagayan Region)
- Baguio General Hospital (Cordillera Autonomous Region)
For Rotary Year 2019-20, the goal is to establish a Human Milk Bank in northern Mindanao.
A Cause Of Rotary
The Club’s experience in Human Milk Bank projects has helped to promote HMB projects by other Rotary Clubs. Successful implementation of HMB projects by RC Timog has assured The Rotary Foundation (TRF) of funding such projects by other Clubs in the Philippines through Global Grants.
Through Human Milk Banks, the Club has contributed significantly to disease prevention and maternal care, one of the causes of Rotary.
