Chong Hua Hospital said it was ready for a dialogue with the Garcia family, and “provide any answers that may help them in their search for closure.”
This came after Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia raised questions over how the doctors in the hospital handled their two brothers, Barili Mayor Marlon Garcia and former Dumanjug mayor Nelson Garcia.
Marlon and Nelson died at the hospital after getting admitted for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Nelson, a former mayor of Dumanjug town, southern Cebu died last September 1, while Marlon passed away last September 6. Marlon was the incumbent mayor of Barili town, southern Cebu at the time of his passing.
“We can only imagine the loss and grief that the members of the Garcia family are going through right now. Indeed our deepest and most sincere condolences go out to them and all the loved ones of the departed,” the CHH said in a statement Friday.
“With the consent of the family (of the Garcias), we are ready to dialogue with them, and provide any answers that may help them in their search for closure,” it said.
While the governor and congressman did not mention Chong Hua’s name during their press conference on Thursday, earlier news reports have mentioned Chong Hua as the hospital where the Garcia brothers were confined, CHH said.
“In the past few days, the honorable governor Gweldolyn Garcia and congressman Pablo John Garcia publicly announced that they would seek experts’ opinion on whether or not the medical interventions conducted on their brothers were appropriate. Although the good governor and congressman did not publicly name our institution, previous media reports have already identified Chong Hua Hospital as the facility where their brothers were confined,” it stated.
The Garcia siblings also earlier revealed that Marlon’s hospital bills reached P5.2 million while Nelson was billed P3.2 million.
CHH, meanwhile, said their team of medical experts provided only the best possible care for its patients.
“The judgements of the medical team are backed by their extensive training and experience as doctors and medical practitioners, and based on verified data. Their actions are consistent with globally-accepted and clinically-established procedures applicable to the patients’ diagnoses,” the statement read.
The hospital also added that the two physicians who attended to the Garcia brothers were reputable and outstanding doctors, and were specialists in their respective fields.
"It is a sad reality that even the most determined efforts to save lives sometimes ends up futile. Having served our community for over 100 years, the countless doctors and medical staff who worked in our hospital have undoubtedly felt frustration, discouragements, or even pain because of this certainty," CHH said.
"This, however, should be a reason to stop trying, or to lose faith in the science and practice of medicine itself,” it added.
CHH then assured it will continue to provide the best care to its patients.
“Ultimately, no act stands as noble as preserving or saving lives, and this must be firmly grounded on facts and research. We assure the entire community that all our patients - past, present and future-were, are and will always be provided with the best care under our supervision.”
Read more: My brothers died not from COVID, but from hospital-acquired bacteria – Cebu Rep. Garcia