Dengue and Martinez Memorial Hospital (Caloocan)

Well, before discussing the horror of the disease itself, let me Segway to horrors in one particular hospital.

What started as a labtest in Martinez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan turned out as a disgust and holdup combined. It is already a bad idea to name your hospital a "MEMORIAL Hospital," (all patients should have memorial plans for good measure?), but then in addition they have this Annex, which is actually a row of decrepit rooms in a decrepit building beside a creek, which emits a foul cadaverous stench.We had no choice but to transfer to the newer building, which is 2 times more expensive (an obvious tactic?). Then we also had to pay for room transfer, although we only stayed for a few hours in the room with peeling paint, fetid restroom, wrecked window screens, and reeking smell from outside. If you dont have bacterial infection at the time you were admitted in this room, you will most probably be oozing puss by the day you are discharged. One private 'annex' room by the way costs around 600 PhP per night, while it's 1200 for the new 'wing.'

The admitting ER resident also asked if we know a practicing doctor in the hospital. After we said we dont, she assigned us with a bit of smile to a certain Dr F, who we found out later, was one of the owners of the hospital. Why was the ER doctor had that trace of smirk... I found out later . 

The patient was actually our babysitter. We had to leave her for one night and morning to be the babysitter  ourselves at home. Coming back around noon next day, we asked to talk with the attending Dr Ferdinand Martinez. We were told that he left, but it's ok, the nurses said, he already wrote some of the treatments needed. 

After the result of the most recent blood test came out, we still had no Dr. F to talk with. so we have decided to transfer to a better hospital. We asked for the bill to be readied. Lo and behold, even if the patient's platelet count is still borderline manageable, Dr F, who we cannot reach, apparently prescribed transfusion of 3 bags of white blood cells. Each one costing 2500 plus 3000 more for the screening needed. That's 10 K PhP in one pop!

When we refused the transfusion, a procedure where I have some general reservations myself (i have heard so many horror stories about dirty blood being given to a healthy person), the billing dept (of course) wont let us leave without paying for the bags. One nurse was insisting that we ready our own ice chest, and bring the bag home and do whatever we want to it (what, to drink?).

Nearing midnight, we had to relent to the transfusion just to be over with it. So it's instant 19000 PhP for one night of stay at this fucking hospital: 

And the patient had no improvement after the treatment; we had to go to another hospital. More on Dengue and this next (better) hospital later.

Dont ever go near Martinez Hospital.