TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Personnel from the Department of Health-Cordillera (DOH-CAR) examined the lactation station of the city government to ensure that nursing moms have a clean, safe place to wean their kids.
The goal of their visit, according to DOH-CAR Nutritionist-Dietician Candice Salingbay, is to perform an external evaluation of the city’s established lactation station.
“This is compliant to RA 10028 or our expanded breastfeeding law nga amin nga workplaces ket ag-establish da iti lactation station tapnu kasta ket mai-provide tayu iti conducive environment for our lactating women,” she said.
Salingbay said the establishment of a station is in support of lactating and weaning employees’ and their babies’ healthy nutrition.
“Tapnu iti kasta ket haan da agsardeng nga agpa-susu gapu ta nagsubli da iti trabaho, so the City of Tabuk has this room so they (lactating mothers) can have their break, at least 40 minutes a day, and provided naman ang privacy,” she said.
She continued by saying that the government had supplied one whole, comfortable room in addition to a station specifically for the purpose of weaning infants which was beyond their expectation.
“With this endeavor nga naaramid iti city, maikkan iti city iti certificate nga ma-accredit da as Mother-Baby Friendly Workplace,” she said.
She made a number of recommendations to enhance the breastfeeding station policy, such as preventing the use of pacifiers or bottles and substituting breast milk to make the station baby-friendly and compliant with the most recent DOH regulations. By Edward Joseph Gacuya
