Continuing on the subject of hospitals’ defiance of the Anti-Deposit Law, undoubtedly, Republic Act 11932 is violated with impunity. Philippine medical centers, whether small, medium or so big like the MMC and MCM are guilty.

Why this is the norm in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao is something well manifested in what we always say that most of the country’s statutes are for the books only and never for implementation — either by consent, neglect or due to corruption which is how it is in this land.

On Ms. Sharon’s surgery for acute appendicitis, such proceeded well under Dr. Mac (for privacy). As we stated in the previous part of this article, she was brought to MCM for that medical concern.

Unfortunately, her battle with excruciating pain and the serious swelling of her left hand became the principal issue instead of the main purpose of hospitalization for appendicitis. I know you will understand the experience in a poorly managed hospital. Per information from Ms. Sharon’s family, the surgery was very successfully performed by Dr. Mac.

From her affidavit dated May 27 of this year, Ms. Sharon is accusing hospital MCM of medical malpractice due to the life and death suffering she endured due to negligence, carelessness and incompetence of MCM and its medical staff. For a better understanding, we are quoting her in part (with minor editing).

“I can’t recall exactly whether it was the second or third time they ran me through the MRI. The assistants told me they were going to inject me intravenously. When it was flowing, they said it was water, but I told them it hurts and I won’t be able to stand it because my veins were small. They should have first performed a skin test. However, they did not perform a skin test. They told me the injection was really painful, to bear it so they could inject the dye for contrast in my left hand.”

According to Ms. Sharon, she learned that there actually was no need to proceed with the CT Scan since the initial scanning result, per the doctors attending to her, confirmed the procedure they had in mind for her.

“The pain was really excruciating, it felt like my chest was going to explode. I told them I couldn’t bear the pain anymore. Just a little more, they told me. At that point, I felt there was a very heavy object on my chest. Despite my difficulty speaking, I asked the staffers to call my daughters K and A (for privacy) to give me strength. While crying, I asked my daughters what happened to my left hand, why was it so big, so swollen, like a giant’s, from my fingers to my arm. I tried hard to be calm because I felt I was about to pass out. I told my daughters to call the MRI staff to tell them what was happening. A nurse came in and removed the needle from my hand. I didn’t know what happened next, if I passed out due to the severe pain. But I recall no one attended to me when the pain was killing me in the MRI facility.”

Obviously, no one attended to Ms. Sharon in those difficult moments while she was at the MRI facility.

As we end this series on hospitals’ defiance of the Anti-Hospital Law, on a national scale, it is perhaps critical for our legislators, Senator Bong Go and the House of Representatives to get their act together.

The Bridge calls on them to conduct an inquiry to ensure that the millions spent in crafting this law, RA 10932, will have practical worth and benefit for the majority of poor Filipinos whose income aren’t enough for their food requirements.

On medical malpractice, I believe the negligence, recklessness and incompetence of the hospital demand damages. Aside from that, perhaps Secretary Teddy Herbosa should file the appropriate case against MCM. DoH should also create an incorruptible special body which will monitor and supervise the behavior and practices of each and every medical care facility nationwide on a routine basis.

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