Bantayan District Hospital faces plaint for baby’s death

THE family of the baby who died a few hours after birth will file a complaint against Bantayan District hospital before the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH-7).

Jedah Capus, nephew of the premature baby’s father, condemned the dismal treatment they received at the public hospital in a phone interview with Cebu Daily News.

The 19-year-old mother, Sara Cabarles gave birth at home.

Capus said Cabarles was in labor and was about to go to the hospital when she noticed that her water bag broke.

When she removed her underwear, she was shocked when the baby fell out of her.

Stomach pain
The doctor of the Bantayan District Hospital, Lee Sua, told her during one of her checkups that she was due to give birth next month.

Capus said the baby whom Cabarles named Ellah Kirstine didn’t fall into the toilet as stated in the hospital’s case history and reported by Dr. Cynthia Genosolango, Provincial Health Office head.

“Sara complained about stomach pain but she told me she need not go to the hospital because she thought it was just a stomach spasm. But when she stood up water flowed. When she removed her underwear we were shocked to see the baby fall to the floor,” Capus said in Cebuano.

They quickly wrapped the baby in a clean cloth and brought her to the hospital which was just across their house.

The baby’s father, Alaine Kaine, was working when the incident happened.

He is a carpenter hired by a nongovernment organization to repair houses damaged by supertyphoon Yolanda in Bantayan town.

Rowena Maranda, a hospital staffer, told them the baby could not be incubated as there is a standard protocol to be followed for a baby birthed outside of the hospital’s delivery room.

Baby Ellah Kirstine was brought to the surgical room where they stayed the whole time.

Capus said that Maranda even scolded Cabarles for staining the bed in the out-patient department.

Head injury
“She told us to clean the sheets. She (Cabarles) is the patient why are we being told to clean it? And the doctor just looked and didn’t check the baby right,” Capus said.

However, oxygen and IV fluids were administered on the baby.

Cabarles and the baby were brought to the hospital at 8 a.m. The doctor declared the baby dead at 12 midnight.

READ: Capitol to probe death of baby in Bantayan hospital

The death certificate released to them states that a head injury caused the death of Ellah Kirstine.

The family initially hesitated to file a case against the hospital because of financial constraints.

Relatives decided to chip-in to pay for the expenses in filing a complaint against the Bantayan District Hospital before the DOH./Cebu Technological University Intern Marc Eric A. Cosep