Tabuk City, Kalinga – Following concerns raised regarding the handling of emergency cases at Kalinga Provincial Hospital during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee Hearing on October 13, 2022, its personnel responded with explanations.
Concerns brought out by Atty. Johnny Wayet stemmed from the death of a 19-year-old road accident victim at the said hospital. The victim, Eldridge Wadi Wayet Bacud, passed away on September 2, 2022, 5 hours after being admitted due to Brain Herniation.
Wayet believes the victim was not given immediate medical attention due to the protocols.
The issues he raised include whether or not Rapid Antigen Tests shall apply to road accident victims, emergencies, or where the patient’s life is at stake needing immediate medical or surgical attention, whether RAT is conclusive and no longer subject to confirmatory testing, regulations on the decking of patients, and KPH driver asking for money for gas.
KPH responses to the queries
On whether or not Rapid Antigen Tests shall apply to road accident victims, emergencies, or where the patient’s life is at stake
KPH Head Nurse Juliet Balnao explained that the RAT is being done ‘while (the) patient is being taken care of and attended to by the doctors and nurses’. The nurse also said that the KPH has a fast lane, a separate emergency response team that was created when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in the country.
This separate response team caters to emergency cases which, she said, is also equipped with the necessary facilities.
On whether RAT is conclusive and no longer subject to confirmatory testing
KPH Officer in Charge-Chief of Hospital Reynaldo Aranca noted that while the RAT is not a confirmatory test for Covid-19, a study showed that 90-95% of those who tested positive on RAT will be positive on RT-PCR.
“We know it’s not confirmatory test, however, we have to have two specimens – the other one is for rapid antigen test and for RT-PCR. However, in studies, 90-95% nga RAT positive will become confirmed through RT-PCR nga positive da,” he said.
Dr. Aranca conveyed that they provide necessary emergency procedures to patients at the KPH; however, decking of patients to other hospitals is beyond their control.
“Nu man positive isuna, wennu negative, we cannot control the decking of CVMC or other hospitals,” he said.
On the issue of a hospital staff asking money for gas from patients
KPH Supervising Administrator, Raymond Palicas reiterated that it is not part of the hospital’s policy to have patients shoulder the fuel cost of the ambulance that will ferry them to other hospitals.
“The policy of the hospital does not require the patient to pay for the fuel consumption of the vehicle when they travel patients,” he said.
KPH to conduct investigation
The hospital assured they will conduct an investigation into the incident regarding Wadi Bacud’s case including the personnel who were involved in the treatment of the patient.
“This will serve as basis for us to conduct our own inquiry also at our level. And we assure you that on our level we will call all the concern personnel involved in the management and treatment of that particular patient,” Palicas said, further assuring that should there be another forum, they will be presenting better clarification on the matter.
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