The Provincial Health Office will be launching a probe into the alleged refusal of a doctor at the Loon District Hospital (LDH) to admit a dengue-stricken boy, 13, who later on died due to complications of the dreaded mosquito-borne disease.

“Atong pangayuan og rason ang doctor ngano wa niya i-admit. Pa-submiton nato ng doctor og report,” said Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot of the Provincial Health Office (PHO).

According to the boy’s father, Rosalio Marsamolo, Sr., he sought hospitalization of his son as an inpatient at LDH on Friday morning but the attending physician refused and told the family to take the boy home and feed him soup and plenty of water instead.

“Ang unang katarungan sa doctor puno na kuno ilang hospital. Gi-ingnan mi na pagdala og folding bed aron ma-admit. Pero pag-klaro nako niya ingon siya na ipa-Dengue Duo una aron klaro g’yud og naa by dengue.”

“Naningkamot ko para sa akong anak. Mi-uli ko nanghuwam kwarta para lang ma-suta kung naa ba g’yuy dengue ang akong anak. Pag-abot nako, positibo man g’yud,” said Marsamolo, an indigent Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) member, during an interview with dyRD Inyong Alagad.

The doctor, who has been identified as Dr. Benjamin Balauro, told Marsamolo that he had nothing to worry about as his son’s platelet count was still high and asked the family to return the next day. However, the boy succumbed to complications of the disease two days after on Sunday.

The boy died at the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran City where he was admitted starting Saturday through the help of the Loon local government.

Marsamolo said that Balauro also refused to issue a referral for the boy’s admission at the GCGMH.

“Kung iya pa mi gi-refer buntag sayo, way siguro maluwas pa akong anak kay alas otso ma-butangan na og dextrose,” he added. “Di siya mo-hatag kay kuno puno na ang Provincial [GCGMH], paulion ra kuno pud mi gihapon kay puno na.”

For her part, Fedelia Ahat, staff nurse at the LDH, denied that Baluaro refused to admit Marsamolo’s son.

Ahat said that Balauro asked Marsamolo to return the following day, Saturday, to repeat the test for the boy’s platelet count.

Balauro was off duty when station dyRD contacted the Loon hospital.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), when warning signs of severe dengue are present, “it is imperative to consult a doctor and seek hospitalization to manage the disease.”

“With proper medical care and early recognition, case-fatality rates are below 1%,” the WHO said. (AD)