The Quezon City Human Milk Bank (QCHMB) operated by the city government of Quezon City implements strict guidelines to ensure that breastmilk provided to babies is safe. Located at the Quezon City General Hospital, the QCHMB aims to share human milk especially to mothers with premature babies or to motherless infants, infants in the neonatal intensive care unit whose own mothers are seriously ill or infants whose mothers cannot produce for their needs due to some reasons.

Dr. Cathy Reportoso, Human Milk Bank Coordinator of QCHMB, assured the public that the breastmilk they dispense is safe for fragile babies. Based on their guidelines for safe human milk banking, breastfeeding mothers who would like to donate their milk should mandatory pass the following: (1) initial screening, (2) Hepatitis B and HIV testing, (3) bacteriological testing before and after pre-pasteurization, (4) post-pasteurization and (5) dispensing. The donor will automatically be excluded from the list if she fails any one of the procedures.

The QCHMB located at the Quezon City General Hospital became fully operational on March 23, 2015. It is the second human milk bank operated by a local government unit in Metro Manila.

More healthy breastfeeding mothers are encouraged to donate their milk through the breastmilk-letting activities of the Quezon City Health Department headed by City Health Officer Dr. Verdades Peña-Linga together with the Quezon City General Hospital and the seven (7) Lying-in Clinics in Quezon City.

Breastfeeding mothers who are healthy are encouraged to donate their milk to save the lives of babies in need.    (AGG/MEVF/NNCNCR)

Written by Ms. Adelfa G. Gajelloma, Nutritionist-Dietitian II, Quezon City