Probe: Baby’s death not caused by VSMMC staff

CEBU, Philippines - While management has found communication lapses, initial internal investigation into the case of a baby born at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center last September 14 showed that hospital personnel did not cause the baby’s death.

“Among the initial findings were that we did not see culpability (of the hospital staff) on the death of the baby,” said Dr. Ramon Najarro.

He also said that the hospital simply failed to communicate with the baby’s father and the grandmother, and defended the situation by saying it was a “very busy environment in both labor and delivery room in terms of patient and doctor ration.”

With the result of the investigation, the resident-on-duty at the time of the “stillborn” baby’s delivery may face at least two months extension on training and a thorough assessment and evaluation prior to promotion to second year level in residency training.

A refresher orientation on all personnel defining each one’s role, from the utility, security, medical to non-medical personnel, was also recommended, with Najarro saying the policy is already established but only needs reiteration.

Najarro, a pediatric doctor and member of the VSMMC seven-person fact-finding committee, said the group gathered information as soon as the issue went public and way before a formal complaint was filed before the hospital.

“An initial fact-finding has been conducted by the committee formed. We asked all concerned personnel to issue signed and sworn statements. All were asked to identify the statement under oath. The investigation is ongoing,” Najarro said.

The pediatrician enumerated established facts based on the initial findings.

These include the absence of a fetal heart rate even before the baby reached VSMMC from the referring hospital Eversley Child Sanitarium Hospital.

Like VSMMC, Eversley is a Department of Health-retained hospital.

Najarro stressed that the fetal age of around 21 to 24 weeks, which was the age of the baby, is considered “pre-viable,” which translates to a slim chance at survival.

“In US standards, 24 weeks and below cases do not have chances of surviving. Here in the Philippines, our minimum is around 25 (as) cut-off. We do not aggressively resuscitate the baby,” he explained.

Najarro said the cord coil situation, or that the umbilical cord of the baby curled around the neck, compounded the situation and led to the “deep laceration” on the premature baby’s neck. He emphasized “deep laceration” to pinpoint its difference from the baby’s “severed head” earlier reported.

The almost severed head was what prompted the parents to make public what happened to the child.

Dr. Regina Melodia led the committee with Najarro; Drs. Christopher Samson, Mari Leo Fidel Pataray, and Bonifacio David; Maricon Esparagoza; and Amparo Comia as members.

Dr. Gerardo Aquino, Jr., VSMMC chief of hospital, said they respect the right and the decision of the baby’s family to seek help from Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the Department of Health 7, and even the Commission on Human Rights.

“We received a communication from CHR asking for a copy of the investigation results. We will give them as soon as we finish. It is the right of the family to approach certain agencies or offices. We will answer them in the proper venue,” Aquino said.

Meanwhile, the case of a newborn that allegedly got dropped while being delivered at the delivery room was considered a “closed case.”

Aquino told reporters that investigation has concluded that it did not happen as the mother delivered the baby while still at the labor room on the way to the delivery room.

“We already informed the family of the baby and they agree with the investigation results that no dropping took place,” Aquino said.

But since the hospital protocol of no delivery outside the delivery room has to be followed, Aquino said, the obstetrics resident doctor may face one month extension in training. — Jessa J. Agua/RHM (FREEMAN)