THE Philippine Medical Association (PMA) has appealed to the health department to pursue the investigation into the rectal surgery scandal at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City.

“The department should not let this slide because if they do, it will send a wrong signal,” Rey Santos, incoming PMA president, said.

Santos noted that while the VSMMC management has already conducted an investigation into the incident where the rectal surgery on a 39-year-old patient was posted on YouTube, the health department should make sure violators are penalized.

“We feel the issue has to be resolved by the Department of Health [DOH] because, ultimately, it’s their hospital,” he added. The VSMMC is one of close to 80 hospitals under the DOH and is a major government hospital in Central Visayas.

The hospital’s fact-finding team on Friday recommended the filing of administrative charges against three doctors and a nurse in connection with the medical team’s “unethical” behavior while the patient was being operated on.

The incident drew various criticisms that were mainly focused on the ethical practice of medicine in the Philippines, as videos showed hospital staff giggling and taking footage while an aerosol canister is being taken off the patient’s rectum.

Santos is out for words when asked to analyze the medical team’s behavior.

“From medical school to residency, ethical practice is being taught doctors. You could not even be a member of the Philippine College of Surgeons unless you’ve proven that you are ethical in your practice for two years,” he explained.

Santos added the medical scandal in Cebu might also affect the government’s medical-tourism program since this “unfortunate event” may discourage foreigners to come to the Philippines for treatment.

“What will they say of us [Filipino] doctors?” he asked.

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THE Philippine Medical Association (PMA) has appealed to the health department to pursue the investigation into the rectal surgery scandal at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City.

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