Compliance of Private Hospitals to the Milk Code of the Philippines

The study aimed to 1) determine compliance to the milk code among private hospitals on the provisions of scope and concepts and prohibitions and penalties; and 2) to determine the hindrances to the compliance of the milk code. The study was conducted among selected private hospitals in Cagayan de Oro City, namely: Polymedic General Hospital, Cagayan de Oro Medical Center, Maternity Hospital, and Madonna Hospital. The respondents were composed of eight (8) nurses, namely: four (4) nursing directors and four (4) nursing staff. They were chosen through the purposive sampling with the criteria a) they are assigned in the pediatric areas and delivery rooms; and b) they are regular in tenure. A checklist was used in gathering the data which provided “Yes†and “No†response to the provisions of the milk code. The data started after approval to conduct the study was granted by the hospital director with an endorsement by the Dean of the College of Nursing. The data were presented through the frequencies, ranking, and percentages. Generally, private hospitals complied with the majority of the provisions of the milk code in terms of scope and concepts and prohibitions and penalties. Foremost of their compliance is motivating the mothers to breastfeed their infants until twelve months old. They also adhere to the prevention of marketing of infant formula in the hospital setting. However, certain restrictions hinder them to comply with some provisions which require legal authority. Other hindrances are some mothers are not motivated to breastfed due to possible transmission of their diseases to their infants. Another hindrance is lack of time and collaboration with other government and non-government agencies.

Keywords - Compliance, Private Hospitals, Milk Code