Baby, declared dead, "comes back" to life

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  - Last November 23, female twins were born, in premature condition, at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital. One of them, weighing less than 500 grams, was declared dead by a pediatrician.

Her sister twin, who weighed more than 500 grams, was alive but underwent immediate treatment. However, she later expired that evening.

The one who was first declared dead upon delivery was baptized Maryjoy by a priest the following morning. Five hours after however, she came back to life.

The "dead" Maryjoy was reportedly wrapped up in a cloth and put inside a box and given to her father who, in turn, requested her grandmother to bring her to their hometown of Carmen, apparently for burial.

Hours later, while carrying the dead infant, the grandmother heard cries of a baby and she found these out to have come from Maryjoy who she saw was breathing.

This prompted the grandma to rush back Maryjoy to the hospital where physicians quickly put the infant under intensive care.

Hospital spokesman, Dr. Edgar Pizarras, confirmed the incident in an interview following news of what patients here referred to as "miracle."

Pizarras said that it was not the doctor who assisted the delivery of the twins that declared her dead but another doctor, a pediatrician, did.

Identities of the physicians involved have been withheld for the meantime while the hospital management is now taking steps to look into the matter, said Pizarras.

During the weekly press conference of Governor Edgar Chatto held last Friday at the Governor's Mansion here in the city, Pizarras bared the initial findings of the investigation the hospital conducted immediately after the incident.

Pizarras said the investigation showed that the doctors followed certain protocols in the delivery of the twins and what they did was "appropriate" enough to save the twins. He gave no further details however.

Chatto, for his part, said the provincial government has started also a fact-finding investigation conducted by the Provincial Health Office to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.

He however said the province may not be in a position to give any sanction to the hospital, if ever there were lapses on the part of the doctors, because the hospital was not under the provincial government but of the DOH. He promised though to make public the PHO's findings as soon as these are completed. (FREEMAN)