THE HINOBA-AN District Hospital, located at the southernmost tip of Negros Occidental, is new. It was completed only late last year.
Since January 2, the 25-bed, provincial government-run hospital has been operational. But on September 3 — exactly nine months later — it came under fire. There is a so-called “filthy reality” that the provincial government of Negros Occidental can no longer cover up.
Yes, the building and structure are new, but the beds, bedding and mattresses are not. And believe it or not, it took a Cebu-based optometrist to uncover this filthy reality that has since put the provincial government of Negros Occidental in the hot seat.
Dr. Noeh Fernandez Jr. reportedly went to the hospital to visit his uncle, who suffers from stroke and diabetes, when he saw some “ugly things” inside — dry-rotted mattresses, dirty bedding and rust-eaten beds.
To bolster his claim, Dr. Noeh, who also loves photography, took photos of his unexpected discoveries. He then posted the photos of the dirty beds, linens and mattresses on his Facebook account, accompanied by an honest-to-goodness yet provocative narrative.
Within seconds, Dr. Noeh’s post went viral online.
OBVIOUS INJUSTICE
“It disgusted me to no end. Pray tell me, is this hospital bed still serviceable?” Dr. Noeh began in his strongly worded post.
“Yes, what we are seeing is an actual bed in an actual hospital with an actual patient lying on top of it,” he added.
“So, who should we point our fingers to for this obvious injustice that the people of Hinoba-an have been subjected to — the Mayor? The Sangguniang Bayan members? The Provincial Board members? Congressman? Governor? Or the Department of Health (DOH)? Who?”
Furthermore, Fernandez said it should not be too much to ask of politicians to give sick taxpayers the dignity of being treated on a bed that would not otherwise put them at risk of tetanus.
“This, I believe, is a true indictment and microcosm of the state of Philippine healthcare,” he stressed. “Makahuluya kag daw ginakumot ang akon taguipusoon (I feel ashamed, as if my heart is being crumpled).”
PIECEMEAL PROCUREMENT
Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II addressed the matter also through a Facebook post, saying: “The province has already completed the procurement of hospital beds for the newly built Hinoba-an District Hospital for the benefit of all our fellow Negrenses.”
Diaz, who is also the current head of the province’s hospital operations, added: “We cannot procure everything all at once.”
But he clarified that all hospitals in the province are getting new beds, emergency room (ER) stretchers, equipment and other upgrades — all funded by the provincial government.
Hence, he told Dr. Noeh: “This is no reason to put our hospitals in a bad light. Don’t worry, we are on our way to modernize our hospitals and hospital management system to meet DOH standards. We will make every Negrense proud of their hospitals.”
‘PALABAN’
Dr. Noeh, however, was palaban. And so came his sharpest question to Diaz: “When?”
He went on: “While this sounds reassuring, you (Diaz) didn’t even mention a timeline as to when these new beds will arrive. Will it be this week? Next week? Next month? Next year? Or when the term of the governor is about to end?”
“Give us a timeline, Atty., so we can hold you accountable, not just a general response that procurement has already been made,” Dr. Noeh dared Diaz.
Because, he stressed: “A one-day delay would mean another patient gets to use that dilapidated bed and let me tell you this, a person with diabetes might be lying in one right now, and will be at risk of aggravating a wound or getting one on the bed that he is supposed to be treated on.”
Unbothered by Diaz’s status and stature at the Capitol as the “little governor,” Dr. Noeh clarified that if taking a picture of a dilapidated, rusted-out bed amounted to putting a hospital in a bad light, “then, yes, that would be a fair statement.”
“However, a fairer statement will be, is it safe for a patient to lie on that rusted bed in a hospital that was billed to be brand new?” he asked.
“And is it too much for these facilities, while waiting for the new ones to arrive, to have been refurbished?”
“A simple steel brush and repainting would have done the trick and to think you guys can’t even be bothered to do that is what is truly disheartening,” he further said. “You are missing the point, Atty.”
Dr. Noeh stressed his post was meant to be an eye-opener and “I believe I have achieved that because you took cognizance of the post.”
Then, the doctor nudged the lawyer: “Part of the duty of government is to be answerable to the taxpayers. Sovereignty resides in the people and all powers emanate from them, so when a taxpayer sees something wrong, it is his duty to point it out.”
NO ORDINARY NETIZEN
Well, the “exchange of words” on Facebook between Dr. Noeh and Diaz drew reactions from hundreds of thousands of netizens.
Why?
Because Dr. Noeh is no ordinary netizen.
He is the current dean of the College of Optometry at Southwestern University in Cebu City.
Therefore, his exposé about the “filthy reality” at Hinoba-an District Hospital figuratively flattened the provincial government.
To resolve the issue, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered a probe into the matter.
Facing the media, Lacson never attacked Dr. Noeh. Rather, he showed humility, compassion and understanding of the issue. He was not confrontational. He was prim and proper instead.
DON’T BE ONION-SKINNED
Moral of the story: If you’re in government or public service, don’t be onion-skinned. Always accept public criticism as a challenge. Because whatever position you hold, you remain a public servant and are subject to public scrutiny. After all, you’re being paid with the people’s money.
In short, we thank Dr. Noeh for his bravery.
With the noble intention of seeking “justice” for the poor patients at Hinoba-an District Hospital, he did what he thought was right, regardless of whether he would be criticized or shamed for it. In the end, he won the public’s admiration, respect and support.
That Governor Lacson himself took cognizance of the controversy and ordered an investigation was one “great indicator” that Dr. Noeh’s intention was not to harvest Facebook likes and loves, but to speak for hospital patients who deserve better healthcare services, clean and safe facilities, and prompt government action.
And that, ultimately, is the point.
A brand-new hospital should not merely look new from the outside. What is inside — the beds where the sick lie, the linens that touch their bodies and the equipment used to treat them — matters just as much. Modern healthcare cannot be measured by fresh paint and a new façade while patients are made to endure rusted beds and worn-out mattresses.
After all, as acclaimed American physician and surgeon Dr. William James Mayo once said: “The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered.”/PN
