Doctor accused of violating COVID-19 protocol in Sagay faces raps

BACOLOD CITY – A doctor in Sagay City, Negros Occidental is in hot water after she allegedly reported for work despite having COVID-19 symptoms which would categorize her as a person under investigation (PUI).

Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III said the doctor breached COVID-19 protocol and put the lives of frontliners and people of the city in grave danger.

“She went to the Sagay hospital and attended to patients although she was considered a PUI,” he said.

The doctor, believed to be a gynecologist, also allegedly performed caesarian operations and interacted with women and newborn babies and also held clinic.

Marañon said the Sagay City government will sue the doctor if evidence showed that she violated COVID-19 protocol.

As a preventive measure, the operating room and other areas in the hospital will be fully disinfected.

Marañon said some of the nurses will also be quarantined.

While there will be no lockdown of the hospital, he said, it will be closed for admission and consultation until April 5.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the doctor arrived from Manila on March 11 and was supposed to go on self-quarantine.

She was also advised to consult a doctor since she had sore throat.

Lacson said the doctor gave samples for COVID-19 tests on March 28 and the result could be out on Thursday (April 2).

Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said contact tracing of persons the doctor had come in contact with is ongoing.

Edited by TSB