Hospital lacks burn ointment; ‘turns away’ accident victim

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes ordered an investigation into the handling of Saturday’s motorcycle accident where the youngest son of the mayor of Talisay city was allegedly turned away from the Mandaue District Hospital.

While the nurse on duty denied refusing medical treatment, she confirmed that she referred John Vent delos Reyes to another hospital after finding out that the mishap took place in barangay Mabolo, Cebu City near the boundary of the two cities.

Another reason for not giving first aid treatment was that, according to her, they had no available supply of burn ointment.

John Vent Delos Reyes, 21, youngest son of Mayor Johnny Delos Reyes, suffered skin burns when his motorbike caught fire on the road.

His girlfriend, Concepcion Vega, 23, was also injured.

They both ended up seeking treatment at the private Cortes General Hospital in Mandaue City less than a kilometer away.

“I will leave no stone unturned in the investigation of this case and if lapses or negligence are found, those involved must face sanctions.” Cortes said.

Talisay City Administrator John Yre Delos Reyes said his younger brother and his girlfriend suffered burns when the big bike they were riding caught fire while stopping for a traffic light.

But they were still able to stand up and were brought to the nearby Mandaue District Hospital.

Mandaue Mayor Cortes said he wanted to find out whether the city hospital responded properly.

He tasked the city administrator to investigate as soon as possible.

Talisay Mayor Delos Reyes said his family would not file a case against the Mandaue city hospital but he was clearly displeased.

“Dili gyud to insakto ilang gibuhat sa akong anak. Maayo unta di to mahitabo sa uban. (What they did to my son was not good. I hope that won’t happen to others.)

At the Mandaue District Hospital, the nurse on duty Fatima Suico denied refusing to attend to the Talisay City mayor’s son.

“We just asked him some questions to fill-up a form as a standard operating procedure of the emergency room,” she said.

“He first alleged that the accident happened in barangay Subangdaku but we found out through follow-up questions that it actually happened in the jurisdiction of Cebu City area near Mandaue’s boundary. We then adviced them to go to a hospital in Cebu City for further treatment.”

But before that, she said, “we asked them to stay for a few minutes to have first aid treatment, but we found out that we no longer had burn ointment in our stock,” Suico explained to Cebu Daily News.

The hospital staff then referred Delos Reyes and Vega to the private Cortes General Hospital.

Delos Reyes who suffered second degree burns is now confined in Chong Hua Hospital. Vega who suffered minor burns was discharged from the hospital.

It was not clear why the Mandaue government hospital had no stock of burn ointment at a time when emergency rooms are preparing for an influx of firecracker victims for the New Year revelry.

Suico said medicine purchases are decided by the chief of hospital Milagros Espinosa, who is on leave until Jan. 2, 2014.

Suico said that three firecracker victims they attended to last Dec. 25 were only given Betadine, an antiseptic ointment, and an anti-tetanus injection.

“Luckily, we did not have serious burns to treat,” she said. /Norman V. Mendoza, Correspondent with Correspondent Gabriel C. Bonjoc