Badian health execs probe death of newborn

MUNICIPAL health authorities in Badian town are investigating the death of a newborn girl who died after being thrown out of a pedicab early this week.

Provincial health officer Dr. Cynthia Genesolango said she is waiting for Badian Health Officer Dr. Urduja Espiritu’s recommendation once the investigation on the midwives and other personnel of the Badian birthing center is completed.

One of the midwives on duty at the time, 43-year-old Ma. Beatriz Vasquez said she helped Regina Gabirto who was in pain last Saturday.

When Vasquez asked Gabirto, she allegedly told her that she only felt pain on her stomach.

“I even asked her if she discharged water and blood for us to determine if she was about to deliver her child. Wa gani ko nakita na nag ping-it iyang nawong sa kasakit (I didn’t even see her face contort in pain),” she told Cebu Daily News.

Gabrito was allegedly turned away from the Badian birthing center and told to head to the nearest hospital instead.

Gabrito’s baby was flung from the pedicab in the rush to bring her to the hospital.

Genesolango said Espiritu’s initial assessment showed that Gabirto visited the birthing center two days before the incident to ask for medicine for her high blood pressure.

Espiritu said the baby inside Gabirto was still seven months old and therefore qualified as a “high-risk case.” Genesolango said birthing centers are only equipped to deal with “low-risk” deliveries.”

Birthing centers in the province, she said, cannot handle patients with high blood pressure, premature deliveries, prolonged labor and mothers with health problems which can affect the nature of delivery.

“We also do not want to risk the life of the patients so they can always refer them to a higher medical institution, in this case, a hospital,” she told Cebu Daily News.

But Genesolango said the midwives are capable of evaluating the status of the labor pains and can refer the patient to a hospital if one deems it necessary.

Gabrito’s husband Benjamin Gabirto claimed that staffers from the mayor’s office and the municipal social welfare office went to his house on Thursday and asked him to go with them.

He said he was taken to Badian Mayor Robburt Librando’s office where the mayor told him that it would be better if they settle the issue in the barangay level since it would be too costly if they file charges against the birthing center’s midwife.

The province social welfare and development office (PSWDO) already sent a sack of rice to the Gabirtos and will provide P5,000 financial aid to the couple.

Cebu Daily News called up the mayor’s office and was told by his secretary Blessilda Erejer that the mayor was entertaining visitors to their town fiesta. Correspondents Peter L. Romanillos and Michelle Joy L. Padayhag