A MOTHER from Cebu City is speaking out against the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), claiming that a five-hour delay and a lack of specialists led to the tragic death of her baby.
Apol Amahan shared her story on social media, where it quickly went viral. She hopes that by sharing her experience, she can hold the hospital accountable and prevent other families from suffering a similar loss.
According to Amahan, she went to CCMC in active labor on Jan. 21, 2026. Despite being a regular patient who had received prenatal care at the hospital since her fourth month of pregnancy, she says she was not given the emergency attention she needed.
Amahan claims that hospital staff initially refused to transfer her to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), even as her condition got worse. She alleges that it took nearly five hours before staff finally admitted they could not handle her case because no doctor was available.
By the time Amahan was finally referred and arrived at VSMMC, her situation was dire. She required an emergency cesarean section (C-section) to save her life.
Tragically, her newborn did not survive. Amahan says that doctors at VSMMC told her that if she had been transferred sooner, her baby might still be alive today.
The grieving mother also raised serious questions about who was treating her. She claims a doctor at VSMMC pointed out that the attending physician at CCMC was not an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN).
“Kay walay OB on duty pero nag alig2x jud cya kay kahibwo sad daw cya mo pa anak, naa sa akong referral form ang name sa Dr. nga nipa anak nako unta, din ang name sa nurse, so pagkakarun magtigom sako ug igong kusog para ipadayun ni,” she added.
(There was no OB on duty, but she still proceeded because she said she knew how to deliver a baby. The name of the doctor who was supposed to deliver my baby, as well as the nurse’s name, is on my referral form. For now, I am gathering enough strength to pursue this.)
Amahan expressed deep frustration, noting that she had fully disclosed her pre-existing thyroid condition to CCMC months ago and trusted them with her care.
“I did not even complain that every prenatal checkup with you had a fee because I trusted your hospital,” she said.
As she recovers from her own critical condition, Amahan said she is gathering her strength to take further action. SunStar Cebu has reached out to CCMC administration for a statement, but the hospital has not yet responded.