Neglect eyed in tot’s death

CEBU, Philippines - The family of one-year-old Mary Jane Bariquit, of Sitio White Sand, Barangay Tuyan, City of Naga, is blaming the Minglanilla District Rural Health Hospital for her death for alleged neglect when she was  brought to the hospital because of vomiting and diarrhea last Friday.

Juanita Bariquit, the grandmother of the baby, said she and her daughter, Mary Jane’s mother, rushed the baby to the hospital around 10 p.m. After the usual procedures they were give a list of medicines to buy which the hospital allegedly claimed they did not have.

“Among gidala ang akong apo kuyog sa inahan niini alas dies ang takna sa gabii, diin gipaubos usa mi pagsukit-sukit ug mga dugang information una mi gihatagan og resita,” she said.

Bariquit said she immediately went to the pharmacy. When the total bill reached P700 she offered the P200 she had and her watch in exchange for the medicines, but the offer was refused because the tenders said another batch was taking over work the following day and may not honor the deal.

Bariquit said she went back to the hospital to ask for help.

“Nibalik ko sa agi ug nagpakitabang unta sa unang niatubang kanamo apan gitubag ra mi ‘dili na akong problema, gawas mo.’ Tungod kay wala mi mahimo igo ra mi nigawas bitbit ang bata kay wala man mi makapalit og tambal para idapat niini tungod kay kulang ang among kwarta,” she said.

Outside the hospital a couple noticed them crying and asked what their problem was, after learning about the problem the couple then offered them money to buy the medicines.

They went back to the hospital with the medicines but Juanita said the baby still died after the person who attended to them could not find the veins of the baby to inject the medicines in.

“Maglisod naman sila pagpangita sa ugat sa akong apo,” she said.

Jessie, the mother of the baby, said she regrets taking her baby to that hospital.

“Dako kaayo ang akong pagmahay sa maong tambalan, nga mao’y gidad-an sa akong anak ug pait diay kung pobre ang usa ka tawo kay dili g’yud mahatagan ug dinalian nga pagtagad,” she said.

She added she does not believe the hospital did not have the medicines they were asked to buy.

“Dili ko motuo nga walay tambal ang maong tambalanan ug giuna lang unta nila ang paghatag sa pagtagad sa akong anak, bahala ug unya na namo pangitaan ug pamaagi ang among mga balayronon kay importante man ang kinabuhi,” she said.

Jessie said despite what happened she is thankful to the couple who helped them. She plans to stay with her mother for a while to take care of her father who is also sick.

The wake of the baby is reportedly in darkness after power to their house was cut.

The FREEMAN tried to get the side of the hospital but the employees said only the chief of hospital, who was not around at the time, can issue a statement.

Last June negligence was blamed for the death of two babies in two hospitals, one in San Nicolas, Cebu City, and the other in Daanbantayan. In July another baby allegedly died due to negligence in Talisay City.— /BRP (FREEMAN)