Tuburan hospital under fire: Suspect left to die?

CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Central Visayas  and Cebu Provincial Health Office (PHO) are investigating a viral video showing a blood-soaked man being allegedly abandoned by the staff of Tuburan District Hospital late Friday night last week.

The patient, a drug suspect identified as Jimby Casas, 23, died in the same hospital that night.

In the video, a blooded Casas could be seen apparently begging for help as he was trying to catch his breath at the hospital emergency room.

The video that made rounds on Facebook did not, however, show any hospital staff member attending closely to the patient. He was also not connected to a dextrose or oxygen tube.

Casas was supposed to be transferred to Cebu Provincial Hospital in Balamban town and hospital officials said his transport was ready.

However, he did not make it and died at the district hospital in Tuburan at 10:50 p.m., or about one hour and 20 minutes after he was admitted.

Casas, a resident of Sitio Toong, Barangay Cogon, suffered gunshot wounds to his body during an anti-illegal drug operation earlier that night.

CHR-7 Director Arvin Odron said his office will get an investigator to look into the viral video.

Odron said they will check all aspects of the case, including whether the hospital staff committed lapses that led to the patient’s death and whether the patient was deprived of his rights.

The FREEMAN yesterday tried to get the side of Tuburan District Hospital but administrative aide Job Bringoli said the chief of hospital, Dr. Esteban Ligaray, who was the only person authorized to speak about the issue, was on leave.

Bringoli did not confirm nor deny that Casas was indeed brought to the hospital on February 8.

In a separate interview, Police Officer 3 Achiles Bacorta, desk officer of Tuburan Police Station, confirmed that they conducted a buy-bust operation 9:10 p.m. Friday in Sitio Toong with Casas as the subject. The operation was led by Senior Police Officer 4 Samuel Cañete.

Bacorta said that when Casas noticed he was transacting with a police poseur-buyer, he allegedly pulled out his gun and fired at the policeman but missed. The cop retaliated, hitting Casas in the foot.

But instead of yielding, Casas allegedly shot it out with the authorities. He was hit in the other parts of his body.

Bacorta said Casas yielded sachets of illegal drugs, buy-bust money, and a gun.

‘Not abandoned’

While the hospital has not issued a statement, PHO has denied allegations that Casas was abandoned at the hospital.

Dr. Rene Catan, PHO head, told reporters yesterday that medical personnel in Tuburan attended to the patient.

“Ang iyang major injury actually ang iyang airways, dila (nabungkag) unya ang cheek niya hasta ang lateral neck. Tan-aw gani nako siguro nalunod siya sa iyang kaugalingong dugo ba, kay ang trachea man ni, and so ga-bleed na siya; it goes directly to your lungs,” Catan said.

Catan said he did not see any lapses on the part of the personnel.

“Initial treatment gihatagan nila, actually naghatag sila og IV (intravenous) antibiotic, naghatag sila og LR (lactated ringers) fluids just to maintain iyang vital signs. Unfortunately, during sa time nga ila pang gi-stabilize ang pasyente, didto siya ni-succumb, didto siya namatay sa hospital, in a span of one hour,” Catan added.

Catan also explained that the reason why no hospital personnel could be seen near the victim in the video was because they had distanced from the patient, who was spitting on them.

“Una gyud, initially sa report, giduol gyud dayon siya. Ang nakit-an sa video nga walay tawo was because nangluwa naman ang pasyente, so naigo ang mga nurses so niretraka sila,” Catan said.

3 Nurses Suspended

Nevertheless, Catan vowed to launch a deeper probe into the matter.

According to him, Ligaray made an inquiry into the case and has already suspended three female nurses indefinitely in the wake of the incident.

One nurse allegedly took the video and shared it with another nurse who may have possibly uploaded the file on social media in violation of the patient’s right to privacy, said Catan.

Catan said medical personnel are prohibited from taking videos or photos of patients or critical situations during operational procedures in hospitals.

He said as government employees, nurses are also discouraged from posting online work-related concerns.

Catan said the nurses may not only face administrative sanctions but also criminal liabilities if investigation warrants. He already instructed the nurses to appear before his office this Monday, February 18.— KBQ (FREEMAN)