The Palawan provincial government has issued a statement regarding the recent infant fatality at the Northern Palawan Provincial Hospital (NPPH), providing clarification that the 16-day-old child passed away due to acute respiratory failure on July 13th.
The provincial government, which is responsible for the administration of the NPPH, issued the clarification on July 20 through the Provincial Information Office (PIO), while also extending its deepest sympathies to Roberto Española and Marline Gad, the parents of the child.
The statement provided by the provincial government claimed that based on the records of the NPPH, the infant arrived at the hospital at 2:49 a.m. on the said day. The child presented symptoms such as cyanosis, gasping, and poor air entry, indicating a decrease in oxygen levels and difficulty breathing.
She was immediately taken to the Emergency Room (ER), where doctors and nurses explained the medical procedures that would be performed on the infant to the family.
“Kaya’t una ay sinubukan ng mga nurses na magsagawa ng peripheral intravenous (IV) line subalit sa kadahilanang may ‘poor perfusion and collapsed veins’ o mahinang sirkulasyon at pagbagsak ng mga ugat, hindi ito naging matagumpay kaya’t isinagawa ang intraosseous (IO) vascular access na hindi rin naging posible,” the statement said.
“Ang sumunod na hakbang ay ang pagsasagawa ng venous cutdown o small incision in the lateral neck o paghiwa sa leeg upang doon padaanin ang suwero para maabot ang intrajugular vein at mabigyan ang pasyente ng karampatang gamot at kinakailangang fluid upang maagapan ang kalagayan nito,” the province said, explaining the presence of a wound on the child’s neck.
After these procedures, the Capitol informed the family once again that their child was in critical condition, and at approximately 8:34 in the morning, the patient experienced a cardiac arrest.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was initiated, and despite three cycles and the administration of recommended Epinephrine, no heart rate or respiration was detected. Consequently, at 8:44 in the morning, the patient was declared clinically dead.
Meanwhile, the office of the NPPH, under the leadership of Dr. Juvelito Ang, chief of hospital, remains open to the family of the deceased infant, should they seek clarification regarding the hospital’s actions pertaining to their child.
The statement said that under the leadership of Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates, the safety and health of the Palaweño people are the top priority and are highly valued by the provincial government. The public can expect the continued provision of quality medical services in the hospitals overseen by the Provincial Government.
Furthermore, the provincial government also emphasized that appropriate penalties will be imposed on anyone found spreading false information about the aforementioned incident.
Earlier reports claimed that the family questioned the presence of a wound on the child’s neck from the procedure.
They also claimed that they weren’t informed about the procedures that will be performed on their child.
