Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has been criticized tremendously on social media after he accompanied his pregnant wife to Makati Medical Center (Makati Med) while waiting for the result of his COVID-19 test which turned out to be positive.
According to the official statement of Makati Med, they denounced Pimentel for breaching the strict infection and containment protocols of their delivery room complex.
Some nurses and doctors working at Makati Med already quarantined themselves for 14 days because of possible exposure to Pimentel.
“Senator Aquilino Martin D. Pimentel III, whose result for CoViD-19 testing turned out to be positive, brought his wife to the hospital for delivery via cesarean section. By being in MMC, Senator Pimentel violated the Home Quarantine Protocol, entered the premises of the MMC-DR, thus unduly exposed healthcare workers to possible infection. As a result, a number of our nurses and doctors may need to be quarantine, which will further deplete the dwindling workforce of the hospital. The entire Delivery Room Complex will have to undergo decontamination and disinfection before it can be used,” the statement reads.
People under investigation (PUI) should quarantine themselves at home for 14 days until they’re waiting for the result of their COVID-19 test.
However, Pimentel still went to the hospital together with her wife who’s also now a PUI because of being exposed to her husband.
“His admonition for everyone to observe social distancing, enhanced community quarantine measures, washing of hands and personal hygiene are nothing but empty rhetoric because he himself violated all those,” Makati Med said.
They also said that Pimentel “created another problem” for Makati Medical Center.
However, they assured that they already took actions to decontaminate and disinfect the delivery room complex of their hospital.
They also asked for prayers that none of their staff will get infected by COVID-19 because of Pimentel’s “irresponsible and reckless action”.