THREE more hospitals in Quezon City have partnered with the city government to establish an effective support system for the promotion of breastfeeding.
On Monday, Mayor Herbert Bautista sealed a partnership with the hospital directors of the National Children’s Hospital, Fairview General Hospital, and Bernardino General Hospital to showcase the city’s advocacy to promote breastfeeding through a breastfeeding support group.
Other hospitals that have partnered with the city government for the program are the Quezon City General Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Capitol Medical Center, AFP Medical Center, FEU-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, World Citi Medical Center, Dr. Jesus Delgado Memorial Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, and Novaliches District Hospital.
Under the agreement, the city government, through the maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition program of the city health department, shall receive pre-natal and post-natal referrals from the partner hospitals and provide the facilities to sustain breastfeeding through Quezon City’s trained community support group.
The agreement specified the need for the city to list all accredited barangay health workers who can provide counseling and regular monitoring to patients who want to participate in a breastfeeding group organized by the city.
The city government also operates a human milk bank at the QCGH and a breastfeeding station within the city hall compound to promote breastfeeding among mothers in workplaces.
The World Health Organization recommends that babies should be breastfed exclusively from birth up to six months to confer the maximum benefit of breastfeeding on both mother and child.