By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH) recently endorsed the complaint by the mother of a seven-year-old child allegedly neglected by a physician and nurse at the Kabankalan District Hospital (KDH) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental. The complaint is now being forwarded to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
The case arose late last year, after Nancy Pajarillo brought her daughter to KDH, where the child was confined for two days and declared dead on December 30, while en route to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City.
The mother claimed her child was not given proper attention and, with no pediatrician on hand at the time, her daughter’s illness further complicated.
According to the Death Certificate, the child died from pediatric community acquired pneumonia and acute gastroenteritis with severe dehydration.
Based on the endorsement letter, penned by DOH Director IV, Atty. Nicholas Lutero, the complaint is being lodged against a certain “Dr. Benares” and nurse Gladen Montecastro.
Following the incident, John Chiong, national deputy commander of Task Force Crusaders (TFC), also wrote to DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean Roselle-Ubial with the complaint letter from the child’s mother./WDJ