By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The management of the Cadiz District Hospital dismissed news reports that it denied hospital care and admission to a Bacolod City employee who was a suspected Covid-19 patient.

In an incident report submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan, chief of the Cadiz District Hospital, said that 33-year-old Jesryl Bancaya “was never brought to the Cadiz District Hospital.”

Bancaya is a staff of Bacolod Councilor Israel Salanga, who heads in orienting returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“The patient was never turned down, rather he was on the priority list for admission. Dr. Grace Tan of Bacolod City Health called the hospital to refer Mr. Bancaya,” Pinongan said.

She added that “essential preparations and strategies were planned and prepared by the Triage and Emergency Room for the arrival of three more referred patients from other institutions including Mr. Bancaya.”

In her report, Pinongan added that later in the afternoon (5:12 p.m.), Ms. Lilibeth of Bacolod City 911 called the Cadiz District Hospital triage informing the sudden demise of Mr. Bancaya.”

Bancaya died last Sunday after no hospital was willing to take him citing that they are in full capacity.

Records show that Bancaya’s cause of death was respiratory failure, community acquired pneumonia and suspected Covid-19.

His family said that their family member is ‘not a confirmed Covid-19 patient’ because the test result of the swab specimen taken from him after his death has not come out yet.

Salanga and some members of his team are now under 14-day quarantine and are set to be swabbed within the week./DGB, WDJ