Law Summary
Definitions
- Provides clear definitions of key terms including age of gestation, bottlefeeding, breastfeeding, breastmilk, expressed breastmilk, formula feeding, health institutions, health personnel, infant, infant formula, lactation management, low birth weight infant, mother's milk, rooming-in, seriously ill mothers, and wet-nursing.
Applicability
- Applies to all private and government health institutions that adopt rooming-in and breastfeeding.
Procedures for Normal Spontaneous Deliveries
- Newborns who are well or low birth weight but able to suck must be breastfed immediately and roomed-in within 30 minutes of birth.
Procedures for Caesarian Deliveries
- Infants delivered by cesarean section must be roomed-in and breastfed within 3 to 4 hours after birth.
Deliveries Outside Health Institutions
- Infants born outside health institutions but whose mothers are admitted to obstetric units and meet general health conditions are to be roomed-in and breastfed immediately.
Exemptions
- Infants and mothers with medical conditions preventing breastfeeding or rooming-in may be exempted as determined by attending physician.
- Exempt infants should receive expressed breastmilk or wet-nursing as alternatives.
Rights of Mothers
- Mothers have the right to breastfeed their infants.
- Bottlefeeding allowed only after mothers are informed of breastfeeding benefits and proper formula feeding techniques by health personnel.
Facilities for Breastmilk Collection and Storage
- Health institutions adopting rooming-in must provide equipment and facilities for breastmilk collection and storage as per Department of Health standards.
Education and Training of Health Personnel
- Department of Health to conduct ongoing education and training on lactation management for all relevant health workers.
- Distribute informational materials on breastfeeding and infant care to health personnel.
Information Dissemination to Pregnant Women
- Health personnel must educate mothers during prenatal and postnatal consultations using participatory methods and provide written materials free of charge.
Incentives
- Private health institutions may deduct expenses incurred in complying with the Act, doubling the actual amount for tax purposes within the taxable period.
- Government health institutions receive additional budget appropriations equivalent to savings from adopting rooming-in and breastfeeding.
- Compliance within six (6) months after the Act's approval is required.
Sanctions
- Secretary of Health empowered to impose sanctions for violations, including reprimands, censure, and suspension of operating permits for repeated willful violations.
Rulemaking Authority
- Secretary of Health, in consultation with relevant agencies and organizations, to promulgate necessary implementing rules and regulations.
Repealing Clause
- All laws, rules, or regulations inconsistent with this Act are repealed or modified accordingly.
Separability Clause
- Invalidity of any part does not affect the remainder of the Act.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect 120 days after publication in at least two widely circulated newspapers.