Cebu hospitals face probe for infant's death
LAID TO REST. 8-month-old Harry Morgan Visaya dies allegedly due to negligence of two government hospitals in Cebu City, which will be investigated. Photo from the Facebook account of his mother Marife Ylaya 
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Two government hospitals here will face probe for alleged malpractice and negligence over the death of an 8-month-old boy, who was laid to rest Wednesday afternoon, June 10.
The parents of Harry Morgan Visaya also revealed plans to sue one of the hospitals – St Anthony Mother and Child Hospital – and the attending doctor, who they said had been identified as Dr. Venus Barte.
Harry was confined at St Anthony Mother and Child due to diarrhea. He was later transferred to the another government-run hospital, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), where he died on Sunday, June 7.
St Anthony Mother and Child medical director, Dr Robert Denopol, announced early Wednesday that an investigation into the incident is being conducted. He told the child's family to file a formal complaint with the hospital.
Department of Health Central Visayas Director Jaime Bernadas said they will look into the incident and investigate both VSMMC and St. Anthony Mother and Child.
Marife first posted about what happened to Harry on Facebook. Her post went viral and was picked up by local radio stations and newspapers.
On June 2, the baby was brought for check-up at the St Anthony and Child and was sent home after being prescribed with medicine for diarrhea.
The following day, the baby was again brought to the same hospital when his condition worsened. He was later confined.
Marife recalled how the baby's dextrose was dislodged on the night of June 4, and the doctor allowed the nurses not to put it back overnight.
According to radio station dyLA-AM, Harry died at the VSMMC on Sunday, June 7, due to acute gastroenteritis with severe dehydration in hypotensive shock.
He was referred to the VSMMC, a tertiary government hospital, from the St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital.
Local newspaper Cebu Daily News quoted the boy's aunt, Michelle Ylaya that the “needle where the dextrose was attached to the boy’s hand was dislodged and the nurse failed to insert it back despite several attempts until a doctor arrived at 1 or 2 am on June 5.”
“The doctor reportedly told Michelle that the needle would be inserted to the boy the following day. Michelle said the same doctor returned at 8 or 9 am of June 5 and told her that her dextrose would not be administered,” the report added.
SunStar Cebu reported that the doctor returned at 8 or 9 am of June 5 and told Michelle that the dextrose would not be administered. At 10 am another doctor arrived and decided to administer the dextrose.
“At that time her son was weak and crying. In the afternoon of June 6, the needle was dislodged again and the nurse found it difficult to reinsert it,” SunStar cited its interview with Marife.
On the night of June 6, the baby was referred to VSMMC, where the baby died of dehydration.
"Naa man mi kasingkasing, di mahitabo nga pasagdan namo ang among pasyente. In fact, si Dr [Venus] Barte mikuyog pa gyod pag-refer sa bata ngadto sa Sotto [Hospital]," Denopol told radio station dyLA in reaction to the reports.
(We do care for our patients. We will never leave our patients at all. In fact Dr. Barte escorted the baby when it was referred to the Vicente Sotto Medical Center.) – Rappler.com
