PHO probes Carcar prov’l hospital over death of infant

THE Provincial Health Office (PHO) is investigating the Carcar Provincial Hospital amid allegations that the staff there were negligent resulting to the death of an infant.
Dr. Rene Catan, PHO chief, said that they got wind of the incident through a post on Facebook.

“I’m already investigating it,” Catan said, adding he personally visited the hospital on Tuesday to formally start the investigation even if the patient has not yet filed a formal complaint.

Catan narrated that the patient, Betany Claire Albina, 25, was first rushed to a hospital in Argao, but was referred to Carcar Provincial Hospital last August 29 as she was on labor.

Catan said that the patient and the baby inside her womb were found to be healthy.

He added that on August 31, the mother’s amniotic sac has ruptured. A meconium staining was also noticed in the fluid which is an indication that the baby has already defecated inside the mother’s womb.

After hearing this, Albina said that she became worried that her baby might already be in danger.

“I was really worried upon knowing that the baby has already defecated inside my womb because from what I’ve known, the situation could be dangerous to the child. But they just keep on saying that everything is okay,” Albina said in Cebuano.

She claimed that the hospital staff just injected her with antibiotics.

She also alleged that she was not properly attended to by the staff, and was even scolded by the attending physician when she requested to be transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) the following day.

She also claimed that the hospital did not prioritize her to use the ambulance even if her case was an emergency.

At around 11 a.m. on September 1, Albina was finally transferred to VSMMC and underwent caesarian (CS) operation at 6 in the evening but her child was already unresponsive and eventually died.

“The hospital should have earlier prepared for the CS operation,” Dr. Catan said. Although, he said that the situation would also depend on the evaluation of the attending physician, especially if they see that the patient is capable of normal delivery.

Albina’s common-law husband Kim Labra, 27, also expressed dismay because he said that while his wife was inside the labor room, they were not allowed to visit her and were just told that his wife and baby are okay.

Out of desperation to know his wife’s real condition, he said he even sent her a note inserted in a plastic with her meal.

When she replied and asked for help because she was already in pain, Labra said he really got worried and asked his mother’s help.

Labra added that they are still planning what legal steps to take.

Albina’s younger sister, Jhoana Marie, was the one who posted the incident on her Facebook account which drew negative comments from netizens.

Dr. Mario Joyag Jr., chief of the Carcar Provincial Hospital, told Cebu daily news that the hospital is capable of doing CS operation.

“It just so happen that during that time, our anesthesiologist was not around,” Joyag explained.

He said that he already asked the four doctors involved to submit an incident report as he denied allegations that his staff were negligent.