Parents seek probe on Bohol hospitals for death of child

Lawyer Incencio Dela Cerna talks to Ernie Eric Rivera and wife Marlyn, parents of the girl who died in Celestino Gallares hospital in Tagbilaran City. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

THE parents of a 7-year-old girl who died of suspected meningococcemia is asking the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) to conduct an impartial investigation on the alleged neglect and “improper” handling by medical personnel of two government hospitals in Bohol province.

Spouses Marlyn and Ernie Hector Rivera are seeking justice on the death of their child Melvic Ann, who was wrongly diagnosed by the doctors of Celestino Gallares Hospital in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

The couple together with their lawyer Inocencio Dela Cerna went to the office of DOH 7 Director Jaime Bernadas yesterday morning to file a formal complaint.

In an interview, Dela Cerna said they also wanted the DOH 7 to look into the neglect of the hospital staff of Loon District Hospital in Loon town, Bohol, who did not attend to the child who had fever.

The lawyer said the child, who was then suffering from fever, was brought to Loon District Hospital on March 9. But  instead of checking on the patient, the hospital referred them to the Celestino Gallares hospital.

“Without any report or laboratory test, niingon lang dayon ang mga medical staff didto nga meningococcemia ang sakit sa bata. Eventually namatay ang bata. Ang protocol was wala na ma-observe,” he told reporters.

Dela Cerna added that instead of taking care of the deceased patient, the nurse only threw a plastic to the parents and instructed them to wrap her and immediately bury her.

“There was no reason given to them if it was indeed meningococcemia. Out of fear, in the middle of the night they returned to Loon where they buried the child,” he said.

But on March 15 or six days after their child was buried, the couple received a copy of the Microbiology Laboratory Test saying that her child was positive of “kocuria rosea” and not meningococcemia.

In a separate interview, Bernadas said the DOH 7 asked information from the hospitals of the incident and made them submit a narrative of what happened.

Marlyn asked the DOH to fasttrack the investigation.

Ernie, the father, wanted the medical personnel to be charged for their neglect by not following the protocol in handling patients with suspected meningococcemia.

He added that their family has also suffered indifference from their neighbors who knew that their child died of suspected meningococcemia.