Woman dies after getting turned away by 9 hospitals

A woman has died after nine hospitals refused to admit her despite her emergency situation.

According to Cedric Castillo's report for "24 Oras," Josefina Barroz suffered from a sudden stomach ache on Tuesday morning. Her stomach started to swell up and she eventually vomited and defecated blood.

Her family took her to various public and private hospitals, but none of them would accept her.

"Sila pumatay sa nanay ko eh. Lumalaban 'yung mama ko eh. Kung tinanggap nila 'yung mama ko, buhay 'yung mama ko," said Mark, Josefina's son.

Josefina herself pleaded to the hospitals to admit her, but she was told there were no more rooms.

"Nasa ambulansya lang po ang nanay ko. Wala pong tumitingin na nurse kahit pa emergency po 'yun. Wala daw pong doktor," Mark said.

"Kung anu-ano po yung sinasabi nila. May dala po kaming pera pambayad pero kahit tingnan man lang yung nanay ko, hindi nila tiningnan," he added.

Mark said his mother did not have a cough or a sore throat. They thought she just had a normal stomach ache.

She passed way around noon without getting any treatment.

"Under the law, kailangan magbibigay ka muna ng immediate treatment kung kailangan," said Dr. Rustico Jimenez, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philipppines, Inc.

"Pero kung talagang walang paglalagyan, saan mo ilalagay? Eh di mamamatay din 'yung pasyente sa emergency room kung pag-stay-in mo dun na wala namang gagawin," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte said he will ask the Department of Health to conduct an investigation on Josefina's death. --MGP, GMA News