MANILA -- Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday he would file a case against four hospitals in Cavite if he is not satisfied with their reasons for reportedly refusing to admit a patient who had received the anti-dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia.
"I will personally warn them of their violations short of filing a case against them... If I am not satisfied with the explanation, I will file a case against them," Duque said in an interview with reporters.
Duque was scheduled to visit the General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital; Gentri Doctors Hospital and Medical Center; Pagamutan ng Dasmariñas; and De La Salle University Medical Center in Cavite to look into a complaint he received that a child who had received the controversial vaccine was turned down by the four hospitals.
He said he will hear the side of the personnel of the hospitals, as well as check on their compliance with the requirement to set up dengue fast lanes and in setting up guidelines on patient care for Dengvaxia recipients.
Duque said he would also like to find out if the child was not admitted because of the parents’ inability to make a hospital deposit.
"You know, you are not supposed to be asking for deposits. You are not supposed to reject emergency cases, no matter how full your hospital is. You have to accept and stabilize the patient before you transfer them to another hospital that has the space for the accommodation," he said.
Duque said that if the hospitals rejected the child over a deposit, they have violated provisions of Republic Act No. 10932 or the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, and their license to operate could be revoked. (PNA)
