Probe sought on woman turned away by 2 hospitals and gave birth in cab

Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Pictured) on Monday called for a Senate panel probe on an incident where a woman gave birth inside a cab in Quezon City after she was turned away by two hospitals. (Photo: Senator Risa Hontiveros/ Facebook)

MANILA –Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday called for a Senate panel probe on an incident where a woman gave birth inside a cab in Quezon City after she was turned away by two hospitals.

Initial findings from Hontiveros’ office showed a certain Aira Arellano was turned away by a public hospital in Caloocan City last January 11 after its staff allegedly assessed that she went into labor prematurely. They said that they had no incubator for the baby.

Arellano went to the next nearest hospital but eventually gave birth inside a taxi. Meanwhile, rescuers and media on the scene then brought her to a private hospital in Fairview, Quezon City.

Because Arellano could not afford their fees there either, she was transferred to the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC). The EAMC staff who admitted Arellano and her infant, however, said that she had a regular childbirth.

Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on health, said that it is worth investigating if the hospitals violated the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law especially since Arellano and her child were victimized twice.

She said that she expects to tackle this incident during the second hearing of her bill meant to strengthen Republic Act No. 8344, a law that prohibits hospitals from asking for deposits first before treating patients with emergency needs.

The neophyte senator earlier filed Senate Bill No. 216 otherwise known as “The Amendments to the Anti-Hospital Deposit Act” that seek heavier penalties on hospitals that demand any form of advance payment before being admitted or given medical treatment to an emergency patient.

“We cannot tolerate hospitals denying mothers and their children health services in their time of urgent need. Where will our people go if they can’t get medical help from either public and private hospitals?” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros will coordinate with the Department of Health to get an inventory of the facilities at public hospitals and determine legislative and budgetary interventions that can improve health services.

“No life should be unnecessarily put at risk, no person should be denied adequate and quality medical care just because they are poor and our government-run hospitals cannot adequately respond to their emergency medical needs,” Hontiveros added.