Trader blames gov’t hospital for wife’s death

A trader from Liloan town whose wife died giving birth to their third child in a government hospital said he would file a complaint against staff of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

Richie Jayme, 41, said he was shocked to learn that his wife, Maribeth, had to undergo a Cesarian operation and didn’t survive after she was admitted past 2 a.m. last Friday.

The husband said the doctors did not explain to him what happened, and why the death certificate states “Hepatitis B” as the cause of death.

VSMMC spokesman Nonoy Mongaya said the hospital will ask Jayme to write to the hospital’s Public Assistance Unit so they can investigate the incident.

Jayme said his two other children were delivered by a midwife at home without incident.

Considering that his wife was middle-aged, the couple decided to have their third child delivered in a hospital.

He told Cebu Daily News that his wife’s water bag broke at 2 a.m. and he was advised by hospital staff to buy diapers for the baby and clothing for her.

At 4 a.m., his wife was taken to the delivery room and he expected a four to five hour wait for his wife to give birth.

He said he wasn’t allowed inside the delivery room and wasn’t given any updates.

At 2 a.m. the following day, the doctor in charge asked him to sign a paper giving his permission to have his wife operated on for a tubal ligation, he said.

Jayme said he signed the paper and received a prescription for medicines for his wife. At the pharmacy, he was told the medicine was for patients who will undergo caesarian operation.

Jayme said he was caught by surprise because nobody told him his wife needed to go under the knife.

The man said his sister-in-law was able to bring him inside the labor room where he saw hospital staff trying to resuscitate his wife.

While admitting that his wife had Hepatitis B, he said he believed the condition didn’t cause her death.

Because of the death certificate stating “Hepatitis B,” as cause of death, four funeral homes refused to embalm Maribeth’s remains.

The family had her remains cremated at Benevola Crematorium in Consolacion town. Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag