Acknowledging deficiencies and service shortcoming in district hospitals, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. urged aggrieved patients to formalize their complaints to allow the provincial government to investigate allegations.
The governor’s call follows recent public outcry and social media posts concerning alleged medical neglect at Rep. Pedro Trono District Hospital in Guimbal and Sara District Hospital.
While admitting that service gaps exist across the province’s healthcare facilities, Defensor said that social media grievances cannot serve as the legal basis for official disciplinary action against erring hospital personnel.
“You help us. Join us so that we will know. We cannot investigate if there is no complainant,” he told reporters in a press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Under standard procedures of the Iloilo Provincial Government (IPG), complainants must execute a formal affidavit before a fact-finding investigation can be initiated.
Defensor urged members of the public with concerns regarding hospital care to lodge direct, formal complaints with the respective chief of hospital, the Hospital Management Office (HMO), mayors, or the Office of the Governor.IMT
