Friday, October 19, 2007 Release of newborn baby tests Hospital Detention Law
THE Hospital Detention Law was tested in Cebu last Wednesday when a hospital refused to release a three-month-old baby boy for failure of his parents to pay the hospital bills.
But just before the administration office could close at 5 p.m., Clint Kingsley Roble was given the go-signal to be released.
He was born last Sept. 27 through caesarian section at the Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity House Inc.
His parents are Lorena Roble and Anecito Tello of Mandaue City.
Treatment
Lorena was released at the Maternity Hospital last Oct. 3 while Clint had to stay for treatment of urine infection.
Last Oct. 10, Clint was given a release order by the doctor.
But Roble and Tello did not have the money to pay the hospital bill, which was more than P20,000, and doctors’ fees of more than P14,000.
The parents last Wednesday paid P6,000 for the hospital bill but this was not enough for discharge.
Roble begged at the accountant’s office to release Clint around 4 p.m. yesterday, a week after he was scheduled for release. The request was not granted.
Provisions
Former Cebu City Sangguniang Kabataan Federation president Charles Vailoces, a family friend of Tello, accompanied the couple and explained to the hospital the provisions of the Hospital Detention Law.
Accountant Jetna Bacalla explained that she already told Roble to secure a guarantee from her employer that the hospital bills will be settled.
“The Hospital Detention Law requires a promissory note and for the patient to provide a collateral. But we know that our patients are poor so we don’t ask for it. We do ask for an employer’s guaranty,” explained Bacalla.
Bacalla added that the process is “simple” but Roble, who she said was crying for her son to be released, did not follow it.
Bacalla also said that the couple failed to deposit even a single peso. She eventually gave in to the couple.
She did ask Vailoces and TV reporter Vic Serna to sign an assurance that Roble will submit an employer’s guaranty first thing today.
At past 5 p.m, last Wednesday, Clint Kingsley and his parents were officially reunited and were allowed to go home. (JGA)
