THERE is no whitewash in the conduct of the investigation on the medical personnel who allegedly committed lapses that caused the death of a woman pregnant with twins at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) last month.
This was the assurance of Secretary Pauyln Jean Rosell-Ubial of the Department of Health (DOH) said during his visit in Bacolod City Saturday.
The investigation came after Mary Joy Geronca, 21, died a day after she was brought to the hospital on January 17. The victim was due to give birth on the second week of February.
Ubial said a team from the DOH central office is conducting a fact-finding on the case.
She added that they are committed to a transparent investigation which includes giving due process to those accused as they also want to protect the health workers as much as they protect the people.
Ubial further said the fact-finding ends with a report that is usually completed in a month, but it still depends on the investigation that should be done in a systematic way.
Filing of formal charges, if necessary will take time, she added.
Despite the long process of the investigation, Ubial assured the patient’s family that the integrity management system and all guidelines of DOH are in place.
This is not an isolated case because there is also a recent case in Luzon, wherein a four-month-old baby died at a hospital, Ubial said.
For his part, Dr. Julius Drilon, medical center chief of CLMMRH, refused to further comment on the matter.
Drilon said they stand by their position that there was no negligence on the part of the hospital staff.
“I believe that they (medical staff) did what is necessary,” Drilon added.