Eversley official condemns action of ex-hospital chief

CEBU, Philippines - An official of Eversley Child Hospital and Sanitarium has criticized the hospital’s former head for filing a complaint against his own staff before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged unauthorized dispensing of medicines at the hospital’s pharmacy. 

In a press statement, Felixberto Eltanal, the hospital’s administrative officer, said Dr. Joanri Riveral should have settled the matter first within the hospital. Eltanal said Riveral’s action reflects his qualities as a leader.

Riveral filed the complaint against Pyr Jakosalem, the hospital’s head pharmacist, and three other job order employees namely Gay Pacunla, Josephine Caperoso and Eden Magis.

Eltanal also denied that the P3.7 million worth of medicines were lost at the hospital and that the information that reached the media was allegedly misleading. He said the total amount of medicines charged to the Indigency Program of Sixth District Rep. Luis “Luigi” Quisumbing from July 2010 to April 2011 is only P572,921.25.

Eltanal added that the hospital has no existing policies and guidelines for PDAF operation and in the absence of such, it was reportedly Riveral's responsibility to come up with the same being the hospital chief.

Quisumbing’s office has opened a separate investigation into the matter specifically to determine how the medicines were dispensed. Quisumbing has allocated funds from his Priority Development Assistance Fund for the said hospital where indigent residents in his district can avail of free medicines and hospitalization. – (FREEMAN)