THE Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital eyes to open a milk hub to support mothers who are unable to produce sufficient breast milk after childbirth.
Hospital Administrator Lynart Omnes told reporters the facility aims to provide safe, pasteurized donor milk to newborns whose mothers face breastfeeding challenges.
Omnes explained the initiative seeks to collect breast milk donations from mothers with an oversupply to help those in need.
“There are some mothers who have difficulty producing milk; so in that way, we’ll have a milk hub where mothers with an oversupply can donate to us,” said Omnes
in Cebuano.
He added the donated milk will be processed and pasteurized at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City before being returned to the district hospital for distribution.
As part of the breast milk initiative, Omnes said the hospital will take steps to cover the cost of donor screening, including basic tests for hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to ensure that all donated milk is safe for infant consumption.
The facility is expected to be completed by the first or second quarter of 2026, pending the completion of all necessary requirements.
Lactation room
Ahead of the planned milk hub, the hospital launched a dedicated lactation room on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, to promote breastfeeding in a safe and private environment.
Omnes said the lactation room can accommodate two mothers at a time, primarily serving those who have given birth and whose babies require close monitoring.
The new lactation room is an addition to the outpatient lactation corner.
“Since we are a public hospital, we receive a high number of patients, which makes our wards very crowded. That’s why we have a dedicated lactation room at least that’s exclusive for mothers,” Omnes said in Cebuano.
Omnes added that there are staff assigned to teach mothers the proper way to breastfeed.
Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” Chan said the facility was funded through a P170,000 donation raised during the Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu charity auction in August 2025.
The funds were used to purchase furniture, a refrigerator, breast pumps, sterilizers, and milk storage bags for the lactation room. / DPC