The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office, in coordination with the Department of Health, should come out with guidelines on how to deal with medical missions considering that two incidents of deaths involving them have occurred lately, National Bureau of Investigation Bacolod chief, Philip Pecache, said yesterday.

Pecache was referring to the deaths of two patients after operations conducted during medical missions at the Bago District Hospital, one of which involved a patient of a Marie Stopes medical mission last year, and the latest involving a Canadian medical mission.

However, Valladolid Mayor Ricardo Presbitero said initial findings show that the death of a 13-year-old girl Saturday after an operation conducted by members of a Canadian medical mission at the Bago District Hospital, was not due to negligence.

Loredith Junsay of Purok Crossing Ubay, Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, died after a skin grafting operation and release of burn contractures, Presbitero said.

The Canadian medical mission's visit was arranged by Midland Inter-Local Health Zone spearheaded by Presbitero and the mayors of the fourth district of Negros Occidental.

Presbitero said the cause of death of Junsay, according to a medical report, was asphyxia secondary to respiratory arrest, secondary to tracheal deformity.

The history of the patient indicates that, at 3 years old, Junsay suffered multiple burns in the neck and breast area when an exploding can of paint and thinner damaged her skin tissue leaving third degree burns, he said.

Her chin was sticking to her breast and her head was slightly bent to the left, Presbitero said. Her mouth was open and she had difficulty swallowing water and food, he added.

Junsay had undergone a first operation with a California medical mission and the second operation was conducted by the Canadian medical team.

The operation lasted for four hours and at 12:45 she got out of the operating room with stable vital signs and was breathing on her own at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, he said.

She was conscious and had coughing reflex, and was responding to commands. Everything was normal, he also said.

At 2:15 p.m. after coughing and expelling saliva she exhibited signs of paleness on the lips and had difficulty breathing and died from what is called a laryngospasm, Presbitero said.*CPG

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