A DOCTOR at the Isidro C. Kintanar Memorial Hospital (ICKMH) in the southern town of Argao, Cebu reportedly walked out on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.

The Argao Municipal Government, in its official Facebook page, posted that same day that the hospital lacked medical personnel. It also asked constituents to head to rural health units (RHUs) if they wanted to receive immediate medical attention.

“As of writing, services of their Out-Patient Department is open though it is advised, except for emergency cases, that patients visit their RHUs to decongest the district hospital,” the post read.

According to Dr. Cristina Giango, the ICKMH had three doctors. One resigned, while the other one’s contract expired on Monday, Sept. 30. The remaining doctor showed up on Tuesday and on Wednesday, but then left suddenly. The doctor’s departure left the hospital’s operation in shambles, she said.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she is thinking of having the doctor who walked out investigated.

“It was not that ni-resign sila (they resigned), because they were only extended until Sept. 30. Now it was up to the service provider to absorb them or not. Let us make that very clear. Wala’y (There was no) resignation,” the governor said.

She said the doctor might be held liable for turning her back on her hospital responsibilities.

“I don’t know why that doctor walked out. If she presumed that she would be absorbed by the service provider, meaning she already assumed that responsibility, then she could be liable because the doctor took the Hippocratic Oath. The doctor could not just walk out, so I will have a full investigation of what happened,” Garcia said in Cebuano.

On Tuesday, Oct. 1, some 803 outsourced medical and non-medical personnel were expected to start serving the Provincial Government.

The bids and awards committee had issued the notice of award to Manila-based LBP Services Corp. on Sept. 10 after it stood as the lowest responsive bidder for the P259.6 million contract to supply the Capitol with medical and non-medical personnel.

The governor said the doctor probably found the salary too low.

“I already gave instructions when we computed for our outsourcing that the medical and non-medical personnel would not receive the same rate as regulars. In the past, they had high salaries, but they didn’t receive any benefits. Now, they will be covered by SSS (Social Security System), Philhealth and all the other benefits under the labor code,” Garcia said in Cebuano.

In the Argao Municipal Government’s latest Facebook post, it said that everything is back to normal at the ICKMH after medical personnel arrived to replace the doctor who left last Wednesday.

“Through the constant coordination of Mayor Allan Sesaldo with the Provincial Health Office and the Office of the Provincial Governor, ER (emergency room) operations at the province-run district hospital resumed at 7 p.m. last night (Oct. 2, 2019). Chief of Hospital Dr. Evelyn Familgan and tenured physician Dr. Eric Geyrozaga ensured that hospital services are not hampered by the current understaffing issues of all province-run health care facilities,” the post read. FROM ANV OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / PJB