The Dangerous side of Medical Malpractice

by Mr Oldtowner for Rus in Urbe March 20, 2008

Medical malpractice continuously affects the medical profession around the world. The medical blunder or negligence had been blamed for the countless deaths and scarred lives. Often medical malpractice is rarely given attention much less pursued in legal process. Non compliance to an independent investigation of hospitals discouraged victims’ family to file criminal suit.

Doctors who got involved in medical malpractice cover up their mistakes by filing dubious medical reports. Internal investigation by hospital officials usually absolved guilty parties especially when indigent and ignorant patients are the victims of medical malpractice.

This was what happened to a young couple who experienced medical malpractice in the hands of a negligent doctor. Just three days ago, the couple went to a government hospital in Baguio City for the wife to give birth. Inside the delivery room, horror gripped the couple and was shocked to see that their new born baby’s head was separated from its main body after it was pulled hard by the medical staff who conducted the delivery.

The hapless couple was dismayed and angered on the tragic death of their baby. They couldn’t believe that such incident would happen to them. Meanwhile, hospital officials and the medical staffs involved in the incident were all silent. In an unofficial statement, the hospital belied that there was such malpractice or negligence on the part of their staffs.

The hospital said that it was an abnormal delivery and the infant’s head was already disfigured prior to the actual medical intervention. However the couple believes that the hospital is deliberately covering up the negligence of its medical staffs. The said hospital is known in Baguio City for its notorious medical records; Patients’ mortality rate is high.

This incident is only one of the many unreported cases of medical malpractice in the Philippines which occurs not only in government hospitals but also in private medical institutions. The couple’s sad experience shows that the prevailing health care system is decrepit coincide with medical health workers’ low budgeted funds.