Baby, mom on vacation when tragedy struck

DOH-7 team  starts probe on infant’s  death

Mother and child were in Cebu  City for  a two-week vacation when  8-month-old baby Baby Harry Morgan was admitted in a hospital for vomitting and loose bowel movement then died a few days later.

The Department of Health (DOH) in region 7 starts today its  formal investigation of the parents’ complaint  of medical malpractice against doctors of St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital.

The baby’s father Haryl Visaya told Cebu Daily News his partner Marifhe Ylaya was on a two-week vacation with the baby in Cebu when the tragedy struck on June 7.

The couple  hails from  Anda town, Bohol province.Visayas said he only came to Cebu after he learned of his son’s hospital confinement.

He said the  family would pursue their  legal battle against hospital doctors and  had no plans to negotatiate an amicable settlement.

Baby Morgan was confined  at the government hospital  June 3 to June 6. He was transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) on June 7 and died the same day.

The  cause of death was listed as “acute gastroenteritis with severe dehydration in hypotensive shock”  but the parents believe their son could have been saved if medical staff had been more attentive to  their baby whose IV line was dislodged. They were unable to reinsert it.

“We will check on the service capability of the hospital. We will check if there are deficiencies on its operations including its personnel, equipment, drugs and medicine,” said Dr. Sophia Mancao, head of the five-man fact-finding team.

The St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital is considered as a “specialty hospital” serving mothers and children.

The fact-finding team was  formed after the Visaya couple filed a complaint last Monday with the DOH, naming  Dr. Venus Barte, Dr. Roselle Lampayan, medical director Dr. Robert Dinopol and Dr. Rhea Dinopol – Pacana.

Mancao said the DOH-7’s jurisdiction is more on the administrative charges.

They will look into the  hospital’s compliance with DOH regulations as they have jurisdiction on the hospital’s license to operate.

last June 15, Marifhe with her sister Michelle Ylaya went to the DOH-7 office to submit the referral letter from Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, whom they asked for help.

The sisters met with Dr. Mancao, DOH-7 assistant regional director Lakshmi Legaspi and lawyer Madyl Robinta at the DOH-7’s conference room.

Michelle, who spoke on behalf of Marifhe, said they told Mancao that the  hospital refused to release the billing records of baby Morgan unless a court order is issued. The family also wants a copy of the medical records and abstract from the hospital.