Kin blames hospital Christmas party for death of patient in Pangasinan

Was a Christmas party to blame for the death of a patient at a hospital in Tayug town in Pangasinan?

 

Relatives of patient Maureen Palis, 22, accused doctors and nurses of Eastern Pangasinan District of neglecting her to prepare for their Christmas party.

 

Palis was brought to the hospital last Dec. 17, GMA Dagupan reported on Thursday.

 

"Tinatawag yung nurse, sinasabi susunod na, susunod na after 30 minutes. After one hour bago puntahan yung bata, and then at the end, 10:41 namatay ang bata. Takbuhan yung mga doctors and nurses na sumasayaw sa Christmas party. I-revive, patay na yung pasyente," said Palis' aunt Myrna Navarro.

 

Palis' family plans to pursue legal action against the hospital's staff.

 

"Hustisya lang para sa kapabayaan ng mga nurses and doctors. Kawawa naman ang anak ko, dapat inasikaso nila," said Palis' father Fruto.

 

But the hospital staff said Palis died of dengue and maintained they did all they could to treat her.

 

They also insisted they attended to all the patients and were on call even if there was a Christmas party.

 

"Yung Christmas party na yan, if there is really negligence, unang-una, in spite of having a Christmas (party), we never stop hospital operations. We are still functioning as hospital," said EPDH chief of hospital Dr. Ma. Vivian Villar-Espino.

 

For its part, the Pangasinan provincial health office asked the family of the deceased to file a proper complaint so it can be addressed at the proper forum.

 

"Itong reklamo, pwede naman itong isulat at dalhin nila sa kaalam ng provincial health office nang sa ganoon, madala natin sa provincial legal office at maimbestigahan at magkakaharap po sila," said Dr. Anna de Guzman of the Pangasinan provincial health office. —Joel Locsin/JST, GMA News