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Sick kids, aged one and four, die after being turned away by gov't hospitals


 


Two sick children, aged one and four years old, died shortly after they were turned away by government hospitals in Manila.

According to a 24 Oras report by Katrina Son on Monday, a baby boy born with a hole in his heart celebrated his first birthday on April 9.

On April 13, he developed a cough.

The following day, he had to be rushed to a hospital due to difficulty breathing.

He was denied by Ospital ng Tondo because no pediatrician or cardiologist was on duty that day.

“Ayaw din po magprovide ng Tondo Hospital ng ambulance saka kahit pahiramin po kami nila ng oxygen nila, ayaw po nilang magpahiram,” said Maricel Perrarin, the boy’s mother.

Perrarin sought assistance from their barangay, who brought them to the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC).

Staff at the hospital checked the boy’s temperature and gave him oxygen but a doctor later on said they would need to transfer because the facility was already at capacity.

Perrarin said she asked the staff to give her son first aid, but her request was not acknowledged.

The boy died shortly afterward.

He was also tagged as a suspected COVID-19 case.

“Kung binigyan lang po sana talaga siya ng paunang lunas talaga ng Jose Reyes siguro buhay pa siya,” the grieving mother said.

“Pero ang tigas nila, kahit nakiusap na po kami, ‘Kahit gamot lang po muna, kahit wag po muna kaming ipasok doon sa loob, kahit doon lang po kami sa triage,’ ayaw po nila.”

Perrarin and her husband also had to bury their son immediately after his death since was considered a possible COVID-19 case.

“Ang hirap po tapos hindi man lang po namin nabigyan siya ng maayos na burol kasi pagkakuha po namin sa kaniya sa morgue, idiniretso na po namin siya ng libing,” she said.

“Gusto ko lang pong masabi sa Jose Reyes na sana po wala na pong ibang bata na magagaya sa anak namin kasi ang hirap po para sa isang magulang na mawalan ng anak,” Perrarin added.

Janjan at JRRMC

Four-year-old “Janjan” also died shortly after he was denied by the JRRMMC.

His mother Evelyn said they brought him to the hospital on April 19.

“Kaya lang po, pagpunta namin sa Jose Reyes, ‘di na po kami tinanggap. For adults lang daw po muna ‘yung ina-ano nila kasi baka raw po mahawa lalo ‘yung bata sa virus,” she said.

When staff ignored her requests for first aid, Evelyn decided to transfer to another hospital.

Janjan died as he was being taken to another facility.

“Sana hindi na nila gawin ‘yung gano’n kasi paano naman po ‘yung ibang bata na dadalhin pa doon kung hindi nila tatanggapin. Wala nang mapupuntahan na ospital,” Evelyn said.

GMA News has reached out to JRRMMC and Ospital ng Tondo for comment on the incidents. -Julia Mari Ornedo/NB, GMA News

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