On handling dengue patients: City Council chides CCMC chief

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council yesterday chided the chief of hospital of the Cebu City Medical Center for failing to comply with the instruction of Mayor Tomas Osmeña on how to handle dengue patients.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama learned that one of the 11 persons who died of dengue in the city last April 20 was not immediately subjected to a complete blood count when she was brought to the CCMC and was only diagnosed of having tonsillitis.

In a high-pitch voice, Rama, who sits as chairman of the council, asked CCMC chief Myrna Go why she did not comply with the instructions of Osmeña to take care of persons suspected of having dengue by providing them with free medical services and laboratory tests.

The City Council has summoned the officials of CCMC and city health department to appear during its regular session to explain why there are still dengue-related casualties despite the implementation of programs like the granting of free medical and laboratory services to suspected dengue patients.

City health officer Fe Cabugao explained one of the reasons why there are still dengue-related deaths is because some parents just take it for granted when their children experience high fever by just giving them paracetamol and “mangagaw,” a kind of plant that can reportedly cure the disease.

The report on the death of a 12-year-old girl from Labangon who experienced high fever last April 16 also caught the attention of Rama and Carillo.

The girl’s parents brought her to CCMC on April 17, but the doctors who attended her did not require her to undergo a CBC to determine whether she has dengue. The doctor also allegedly diagnosed her of having tonsillitis and was advised to go home. But the following day, her parents brought her back to CCMC because she still experienced high fever and it was at this time that she was subjected to CBC.

“But the child was already vomiting chocolate-colored vomitus and weakens,” Cabugao said. This allegedly prompted the girl’s parents to bring her to a private hospital where blood transfusion was done on her, but still she died the following day.

Carillo criticized the way how the CCMC doctors implemented the mayor’s instruction on the “fast lane” where the dengue patients would be immediately attended to by the physicians.

Go however said she believed the fast lane is only intended for the admitted patients.

“Naunsa baya tawon si Dr. Go uy. Wala na lang ko modugang kaayo kay malooy na ta. Mauwaw man god ta nga sige ta og ingon nga libre ang pagpatambal sa dengue unya diay dunay bayad,” Carillo said.

Carillo said at least two dengue patients approached her and executed affidavits to prove that they were required to pay at the CCMC, while another patient said he was asked to have his laboratory check-up done at FHM laboratory across the hospital.

The doctors reportedly told the patients that it will take about five hours for CCMC to release its laboratory results unlike in private laboratory that releases results only in an hour.

Go promised to see to it that the instructions of the mayor will be strictly complied with.

Osmeña earlier said he will not hesitate to relieve Go from her post if proven that she is not doing her job well. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)