Husband blames Carcar hospital for wife, child’s deaths

Local

A GRIEVING husband took to social media to denounce Carcar Provincial Hospital after doctors allegedly refused to perform a cesarean section on his pregnant wife, resulting in the deaths of both mother and child.

Kiking Blues, the husband, posted a viral video on Facebook on Monday, July 21, detailing how the tragedy unfolded.

He said they first sought medical help at a hospital in Argao due to complications in his wife’s pregnancy. Doctors there referred them to Carcar Provincial Hospital, citing the need for a cesarean operation.

When they arrived in Carcar, Kiking said he immediately pleaded with doctors to perform the C-section. However, hospital staff allegedly denied his request, explaining that the mother's cervix had only dilated to 3 centimeters and that they needed to wait until it reached 10 centimeters.

He said the hospital let the night pass without intervening. The next morning, he returned to request the procedure again, but doctors still refused.

This time, doctors reportedly told him that 24 hours had already passed and the baby had died inside her womb. They then sent his wife to a hospital in Talisay City, but she died either on the way there or shortly after arriving.

The story triggered public outrage online, with thousands expressing anger over the hospital’s alleged inaction.

This prompted Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro to respond by ordering an urgent investigation into the incident.

“It’s heartbreaking what happened to the mother about to give birth and the infant who passed away while on their way to Talisay Hospital from Carcar District Hospital,” Baricuatro said in an official statement on Thursday, July 24.

She appealed to the public not to blame her administration right away.

“My sincere appeal to the public is not to assign blame to my governance and administration at this early stage. Please understand that we were not given a transition period and we inherited a healthcare system that has been neglected for years under the previous administration,” she said.

Baricuatro emphasized that she had only been serving as governor for 23 days when the incident occurred.

She noted that her administration had already begun taking steps to improve the healthcare system, including the release of funds for district hospitals to procure essential medicines and the deployment of Department of Health (DOH) doctors just a day before the incident.

While acknowledging that change takes time, she reaffirmed her commitment to improving health services for the people of Cebu.

The governor called on Cebuanos to remain patient and to support the reforms her administration is implementing. She expressed confidence that, with collective effort, the province could achieve a stronger and healthier healthcare system.

As of this writing, the Carcar Provincial Hospital has not released an official statement regarding the incident.

Improving healthcare services is the promised cornerstone of Baricuatro’s administration. On July 14, she announced the release of around P180.7 million to fund the operations of the province’s 16 hospitals, comprising four provincial and 12 district hospitals, for July and August.

The provincial government said the P180.7 million fund aims to address the urgent need for medicines and medical supplies, enabling public hospitals to deliver timely care, especially to underserved communities.

On her first day in office on June 30, Baricuatro ordered an additional P5 million for each of the province’s 16 hospitals and began fast-tracking the hiring of over 1,600 healthcare workers.

Inspections in early July, led by Cebu Provincial Public Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan, revealed serious problems such as facility disrepair, medicine shortages, and inadequate care for patients with chronic illnesses.

Health officials also called for immediate intervention to address rising cases of kidney disease.

Baricuatro vowed to deploy more staff to district hospitals, the provincial hospital, and rural health units, emphasizing that improving the health system is a top priority.

She also ordered the immediate repair of damaged flooring at Minglanilla District Hospital’s dietary section, now 80 percent complete.

To further strengthen staffing, she approved the hiring of 78 doctors. The Capitol has received over 1,800 applications for various healthcare positions, including nurses, dentists, and medical technologists. Screening is ongoing.

Catalan, Baricuatro’s daughter, currently oversees the Capitol-run hospitals in her capacity as provincial public health consultant.

She is working pro bono to support the province’s healthcare reform efforts.(MyTVCebu)