Tourist complains of poor medical care in Boracay

Firas Abboud

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Tourist complains of poor medical care in Boracay
'Patients go to Kalibo for medical help because you can't be taken care of in the island,' a Boracay resident notes

MANILA, Philippines – A 5-day family vacation in Boracay ended with a run to a hospital in Manila.

Boracay has always been a top tourist destination in the Philippines. Known for its white sand beaches and fun nightlife, Boracay continues to attract people from all over the world.

However, for Nicole Acuña, there is more to Boracay than meets the eye. On January 9, Acuña’s family booked a 5-day vacation in Boracay. But in the afternoon of January 13, her father-in-law suffered from stroke. 

A doctor and a couple of nurses in the island evaluated the patient, and recommended that he be transferred to the nearest hospital in Kalibo.

After a boat ride to Caticlan, an ambulance transported the family to the nearest hospital – Panay Health Care Center. The hour-and-a-half ride to the hospital in Kalibo scared Acuña because the only source of light in the ambulance was a dim light bulb.

The entired trip to the hospital cost the family around P19,100, according to Acuña.

Calm after the storm

When they arrived at the Panay Health Care Center, her father-in-law was brought to the emergency room where a series of scans and observations were conducted overnight.

After their flight back to Manila, they went straight to St Luke’s for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), since the local center did not have the machine.

“There we found out my father-in-law had had 4 strokes. They said it was a miracle he didn’t suffer any serious after-effects.”

Acuña shared her experience on Facebook, warning netizens about the risks they could face. She could not believe how such a celebrated island as Boracay did not have a hospital in the area.

I’ve been coming to #Boracay since 1995. By the grace of God nothing has ever happened to me or any of my companions…

Posted by Nicole Acuña on Wednesday, January 13, 2016

 

Does anyone personally know John Yap, mayor of Malay? This is the type of person who should be shamed by his peers into…

Posted by Nicole Acuña on Wednesday, January 13, 2016

 

Meanwhile, Bing Peralta of the ER in Panay Health Care Center said that the complaint was one of the first incidents she encountered, but she called out Malay town mayor John Yap regarding the health situation in Boracay.

Ella Arines Solomon, a resident of Boracay, echoed Acuña’s concern. When asked about the health facilities in the island, she said, “Alam mong ‘di ka maaalagaan kaya nagpupunta pa ng Kalibo mga patients.” (Patients go to Kalibo for medical help because you can’t be taken care of in the island.) (READ: Know your hospital: A guide to getting the best care– Rappler.com

Firas Solomon Abboud is a Rappler intern. He is a 4th year Communications student at the Mapua Insitute of Technology.

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