MANILA, Philippines – A 23-year-old man who died after being involved in a vehicular accident in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya last April 30 was wrapped in packaging tape by the staff of Region II Trauma and Medical Center of Nueva Vizcaya.
According to the grieving family members of Merwin Fabrigas Sapipi, who later on tested negative for COVID-19, the victim was treated inhumanely and wrapped like a “mummy” using packaging tape.
The victim’s mother Mitchilou Fabrigas Sapipi aired their family’s grievances against the hospital whom she accused of taking off the life support machine while Merwin was still alive. Mitchilou claimed that the hospital staff took away the life support machine despite pleas from the family because other patients need it more.
"Hiling ko sana sa nurse at doktor na bigyan pa nila ng chance at nakita ko naman pong humihinga pa ang anak ko. Hindi po sila nakikinig sa akin," Mitchilou said.
Meanwhile, Region II Trauma and Medical Center medical director Dr. Napoleon Obaña denied the allegations of Mitchilou saying that the victim was already declared dead prior to the removal of the life support.
"The patient was declared dead and after that, we removed the life support so that the machine can be used by other patients. We did not remove it when he was still alive,” Dr. Obaña said.
Dr. Obaña also revealed that they had to wrap Merwin’s body using a packaging tape as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since his RT-PCR result came a day after his death.
"There's an upsurge of cases in Quirino so we want to safeguard also people here in Vizcaya. We have to treat him as if he was a COVID patient because he might infect others," Dr. Obaña explained.
— Mini, The Summit Express
According to the grieving family members of Merwin Fabrigas Sapipi, who later on tested negative for COVID-19, the victim was treated inhumanely and wrapped like a “mummy” using packaging tape.
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| PHOTO CREDIT: GMA News |
The victim’s mother Mitchilou Fabrigas Sapipi aired their family’s grievances against the hospital whom she accused of taking off the life support machine while Merwin was still alive. Mitchilou claimed that the hospital staff took away the life support machine despite pleas from the family because other patients need it more.
"Hiling ko sana sa nurse at doktor na bigyan pa nila ng chance at nakita ko naman pong humihinga pa ang anak ko. Hindi po sila nakikinig sa akin," Mitchilou said.
Meanwhile, Region II Trauma and Medical Center medical director Dr. Napoleon Obaña denied the allegations of Mitchilou saying that the victim was already declared dead prior to the removal of the life support.
"The patient was declared dead and after that, we removed the life support so that the machine can be used by other patients. We did not remove it when he was still alive,” Dr. Obaña said.
Dr. Obaña also revealed that they had to wrap Merwin’s body using a packaging tape as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since his RT-PCR result came a day after his death.
"There's an upsurge of cases in Quirino so we want to safeguard also people here in Vizcaya. We have to treat him as if he was a COVID patient because he might infect others," Dr. Obaña explained.
— Mini, The Summit Express
