Davide relieves Tuburan doc

CEBU, Philippines - Gov. Hilario Davide III ordered the relief of the doctor of Tuburan District Hospital  who allegedly failed to attend to the medical needs of a three-year-old child who almost drowned that resulted in his death.

Davide said he is still waiting for the investigation report of Dr. Cynthia Genesolango, the acting chief of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO).

But based on the account of the  family of victim Chris John Ledris, Davide said there seemed to be negligence and lapse of judgment on the part of Dr. Jatuporn Vatanagul.

Based on the initial investigation report from the IPHO, the doctor was in the Emergency Room when Ledris was brought to the hospital at 12 noon on Sunday.

He checked the vital signs and gave necessary prescriptions.  After attending to all the patients in the ER, Vatanagul allegedly went to his quarter, ate lunch and took a rest at 2 p.m.

When Ledris’ relatives noticed that his condition was deteriorating, they asked the nurse to call the doctor and get a referral to bring the patient to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

But nurse Chito Jaluag reportedly refused saying the doctor was resting and would wake up at 3:30 p.m.

Davide emphasized that Tuburan District Hospital is a government facility and that its doctors should be accessible and visible at all times.

“Had the doctor responded immediately, nahimo pa untang matabang ang bata,” Davide said.

But Genesolango explained that doctors usually take their rest if they find the patients’ condition stable and wait for the nurses to call them if there is a patient that needs their attention.

Genesolango said that for her, there was no lapse of judgment since the doctor even advised the relatives to have the patient admitted for better monitoring.

She also clarified that doctors observe a standard operating procedure.

They are not allowed to send patients who are dying and with unstable condition to another hospital unless necessary things or interventions have been made to stabilize the condition.

However, Genesolango assured that with the written report from Dr. Esteban Ligaray, the hospital chief, and the investigation report from Dr. Henry Calcedo, one of the senior doctors of IPHO, they will come up with the recommendations.

Lidres’ relatives had sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 for investigation on the incident and possible filing of charges against Ligaray, Vatanagul and Jaluag.

The Visayas Ombudsman cannot come in for lack of jurisdiction.

“Considering he is a job order employee, the Office of the Ombudsman has no jurisdiction over him to investigate whether there is a possible negligence in his part,” Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol said. — (FREEMAN)