CEBU City Health Department head Dr. Daisy Villa, who is currently under scrutiny for alleged grave abuse of authority and misconduct, said the allegations against her stem from a misinterpretation of her statements, which, she claims, did not accurately reflect her intended message.
Villa on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, submitted a clarificatory letter to the City Council.
In the letter, she wrote that the City Health Memorandum DSV-004-2024-044, which sparked controversy with Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos during her privilege speech on Aug. 7, may have been poorly worded, which can be subject to misinterpretation, and that it did not convey the right intention regarding the off-duty entitlement of midwives after a 24-hour shift in the birthing center.
The memorandum stated that if midwives on 24-hour duty do not deliver a baby during their shift, they are not entitled to off-duty time the following day.
Villa, however, said there was no intention to deprive the City Health’s midwives or any personnel of the CCHD of their mandatory time off or rest day.
“The protocol being followed and scheduling of shifts of the personnel in the birthing centers has always been in consonance with the Department of Health’s standards,” she wrote.
She said although the 24-hour continuous work shift scheme was designed to benefit both personnel and patients, an assessment revealed that it did not achieve the desired results.
She noted a significant decline in performance and an increase in patient defaults, which she attributed primarily to insufficient monitoring and outdated recording and reporting practices.
She said despite the instructions to revert to the original three 8-hour work shifts, some birthing centers continued working using the 24-hour shift, as evidenced by their Daily Time Records.
Villa said the 24-hour work scheme was requested by the majority of the midwives assigned to birthing centers, who preferred a lesser number of working days instead of the regular five days a week to enjoy their long days off.
Villa concluded her letter by firmly denying any allegations of grave abuse of authority or misconduct.
In a previous report by SunStar, Councilor de los Santos expressed frustration with the complaints against Villa during her privilege speech.
She urged the administration to thoroughly investigate the alleged mismanagement and reveal any misconduct by those who have mistreated and demeaned healthcare workers.
De los Santos criticized Villa’s directive to healthcare workers, claiming it violated Republic Act 7305, or the Magna Carta of Midwives, which mandates that workers who complete 24-hour shifts should receive an additional day off immediately afterward. The councilor described this directive as not only an abuse of authority but also as an illegal, inhumane, and oppressive order. / JPS