DOH probes hospitals that refused coronavirus patients – Duque

HOSPITALS. East Avenue Medical Center health workers push a man on a stretcher with suspected COVID-19 patient. Photo by Darren Langit/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday, May 20, said the Department of Health (DOH) had started its probe into hospitals that refused to admit COVID-19 patients.

During the Senate hearing on the country's coronavirus response, Duque said the DOH had sent show cause orders to 6 hospitals, but the department only received letters of explanation from 3 of them. (READ: IN NUMBERS: What hospitals need to treat COVID-19 patients)

"Talaga pong mali ang ginawa nitong hospitals dahil mandato po nila 'yan. Ang DOH ay kaagaran pong pinaimbestiga [ito] at nagpadala ng show cause order para makapagpaliwanag ang anim na ospital," Duque said.

(What the hospitals did was wrong because they are mandated to do such. The DOH immediately ordered an investigation and sent show cause orders for the hospitals to explain.)

Duque made the statement in response to Senator Bong Go’s question regarding the DOH’s actions to address the complaints against these hospitals.

Duque identified the 6 hospitals, but didn't say which 3 had sent in their explanations or what explanations they offered.

According to the DOH memo 2020-0070 dated February 11, 2020, "all licensed level 2 and level 3 hospitals are equipped with isolation rooms at the Emergency and In-Patients Department, and should have the capability to manage infectious cases."

"Thus, there is no sufficient cause to refuse COVID-19 patients and PUIs seeking consultations or treatments in these hospitals,” the memo read.

Rappler checked the status of the 6 hospitals Duque enumerated. Four of them have Level 2 and Level 3 status:

• Commonwealth Hospital Medical Center - Tertiary
• FEU Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation
• Skyline Hospital and Medical Center
• Grace General Hospital

According to Duque, the Health Facilities Oversight Board will convene on May 21 to discuss if cases will be filed against the hospitals.

"Bukas po ay mag-convene sila para alamin kung sila ba ay nararapat na sampahahan ng criminial case sa appropriate courts or file administrative sanctions against these hospitals," Duque said.

(Tomorrow, they will convene to discuss if cases will be filed with appropriate courts or if they will face administrative sanctions.) – Rappler.com