LUBAO, Pampanga — Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda lambasted Escolastica Romero District Hospital’s (ERDH) concerned medical personnel recently for the alleged lapses committed that led to the recent death of a 7-month old patient.
This came as Governor Pineda met face-to-face with the concerned doctors, nurses and ambulance driver in the presence of the bereaved family to personally investigate the circumstances leading to the demise of the patient.
Governor Pineda expressed her dismay over the alleged failure of the hospital personnel to provide appropriate medical attention and needs of the patients including the lapses on procedures and assessment conducted by the medical staff on the patient.
“I am not a doctor but I (know) for the last 30 years of assisting the poor, I have little knowledge of certain diseases, you (medical staffs) should admit that you have lapses on this incident,” she said.
The governor castigated the medical personnel on their negligence in handling cases of emergency situation that needed immediate action on their end.
She also reprimanded them for failing to recognize that the baby was experiencing complications for days and failed to act accordingly by providing an x-ray examination.
“Remember, we are not after the money. We are here because we want to save the lives of so many patients,” she stressed.
The baby was admitted to ERDH on June 19, Monday and after four days, he was transferred on June 24 to Jose B. Lingad Regional Memorial Hospital (JBL) where he succumbed to death after eight hours due to alleged multiple complications due to dehydration and amoebaiasis.
The ambulance driver was also hit by the lady governor for failure to immediately transfer the patient to JBL.
The ambulance driver said it is the routine of the hospital to wait for patients set to undergo x-ray examination in another public hospital in Bacolor.
With the response of the concerned driver, doctors and nurses, the governor got irritated and told them that the door of the hospital is open for them to resign or she will just close the hospital.
She told the medical personnel to immediately transfer the patients to JBL or other nearby private hospitals if they think that surgical procedure is needed and the medical equipment is not enough to heal the patients as she reminded the personnel that ERDH is categorized only as level 1.
She also stated that the “no balance billing policy” should constantly be applied especially for the poor who hardly have the means to afford for their hospitalization.
She reminded the personnel that poor patients and families shall not shell out even a single centavo for buying medicines and supplies as the provincial government allowed the hospital to use their P100,000 petty cash in case there is a need to purchase medicines and supplies outside the hospital.
In a brief interview with Chief of Hospital Dr. Cenon V. Ponce, he said that the incident is a way to improve the services of the hospital and a way to prevent any cases of ill—treatment and negligence.
He also assured that this will be the first and last incident of mishandled situation not only in the town of Lubao but in the whole province of Pampanga.
The governor is firm on her decision to conduct further investigation on this case to seek justice for the family of the victim.
Ma. Reina Len Luna
