The Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital in District 3 of Manila recently received ne "Human Milk Bank" equipment that will ensure the provision of healthy breastmilk for Manila's children.

No less than Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and Vice Mayor Yul Servo led the turnover of the Pasteurizer Model PAS10000 to JJASGH director Dr. Merle Sacdalan-Faustino.

Faustino said that the occasion "marks the continued partnership of JJASGH and the ever-generous and compassionate Rotary Club, particularly the Rotary Club International, Rotary Club of Chinatown Manila and its member clubs all over the world."

Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. external affairs committe chair Nelson Guevarra and MCBO president and barangay chair Jefferson Lau were also present.

According to Lacuna, the hospital's Milk Bank Unit it has served the city for the past six years and to date, it has saved 1,600 lives through the feeding of safe and healthy human breastmilk.

It has also secured and pasteurized a total of 1,175.49 liters of milk by tapping the community's mothers and influencing them to donate milk for the sustenance of babies by giving incentives such as food and tokens of appreciation.

The Milk Bank Unit of JJASGH continues to encourage donors to be a part of the advocacy of breastfeeding and breastmilk sustenance for children.

Lacuna said that based on the data she received, the list of institutions that have tapped JJASGH's Human Milk Bank Unit include the Philippine General Hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center, UST Hospital, MCU Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Jose Reyes Medical Center, Manila Doctors Hospital, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jesus C. Delgado Memorial Hospital, Laguna Doctors, FEU Medical Center, Metropolitan Medical Center, Las Piñas Doctors, Hospital of Infant Jesus, Parañaque Doctors, Delos Santos Medical Center, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center and the Sta. Ana Hospital.

The JJASGH is one of six hospitals being run by the city government of Manila.

The mayor said that the JJASGH Human Milk Bank Unit has also consistently helped those in need during this Covid-19 pandemic, wherein a total of 1,078.81 liters of breastmilk have been given.

The JJASGH Human Milk Bank Unit was established in May 2016 through the combined efforts of the JJASGH Executive Committee and its Human Milk Bank Team and through the funding and support of the Rotary International District 3810, Philippines, Rotary International District 2820, Japan, Rotary International District 3661, South Korea with contributions from Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu South, Malaysia D3310, Rotary Club of Busan Kwangbok, South Korea D3661, Rotary Club of Kaohsiung South, Taiwan D3510, Rotary Club of Tomobe, Japan D2820 and Rotary Club of Chinatown Manila D3810.