TWO days after being unprepared with burn ointment to treat a motorcycle rider whose vehicle caught fire, the Mandaue City Hospital stocked up on the first aid medicine.
“The stocks have arrived so we are now fully prepared,” said Fatima Suico, the nurse on duty.
Emergency rooms were expected to be busy last night receiving victims of firecracker blasts for the New Year Revelry.
Suico said the burn ointment )silver Sulfadiacin) was just taken from the hospital’s pharmacy on Monday and placed in the Emergency Room.
The pharmacy is only open on weekdays, she explained.
She said three medical staff are on duty tonight until dawn of the New Year.
The hospital drew heavy criticism for allegedly turning away the youngest son of Talisay City Mayor Johnny Delos Reyes who came in with a friend after they had a motorcycle accident on Saturday night.
John Vent Delos Reyes, 21, and his companion Salve Vega, 23, were referred by staff to another hospital in Cebu City after learning that the accident took place in barangay Mabolo in Cebu City.
Before they left, the nurse was about to give them first aid treatment for the burns but had no stock of ointment on hand.
The couple were then referred to the nearby Cortes General Hospital.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortex ordered an investigation into the incident, saying any lapses by the hospital staff would be addressed.
Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes lamented that his son was not properly treated and hoped it would not happen again to someone else, but the mayor said he would not press charges.
His youngest son was transferred to Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City where he was confined for second degree burns.
Ready for New Year
In Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Adam Malingin, the supervising nurse of the emergency room said, they are ready to attend to firecracker injuries and have been prepared since Christmas eve.
If cases need major operation, they are sent right awy to tertiary hospitals.
“We only do first aid here,” said Malingin.
Lapu-Lapu City had 10 firecracker victims, including four minoirs, on Christmas Day.
Mandaue City had three firecracker victims as well on Christmas Day. /Norman V. Mendoza, Correspondent