Filipina Nurse in Saudi Switches Babies, Gets Suspended From Work

It seems like this situation only happens in movies but indeed, it is not. A Filipina nurse in Saudi Arabia was suspended from work after accidentally switching two newborn babies inside the hospital where she was working.

Through a CCTV footage, hospital officials were able to pinpoint that Nurse Gina (not her real name) was the only one who was present when the alleged switching happened.

Gina is already scheduled to return to the Philippines when the unfortunate incident happened. She was then blamed for the incident which resulted due to her “negligence”.

“Yun po, sinasabi nila na ako sng may kasalanan, pero hindi naman ako ang nagbigay ng bata. Ako daw ang nagpalit ng bata, hindi naman ako aware na napalit ang bata dahil ang dami ko talagang trabaho. Sampu ang bata at dalawang bagong silang … ang hirap po mag-isa po,” says Nurse Gina.

Nurse Gina also claimed that there was another nurse on duty at that time and she wondered why the mixed up incident happened.

It was very unfortunate of her because the incident happened just a day before she was supposed to return to the Philippines.

She was instantly suspected at work and much worst, there’s a huge possibility that the incident will be brought up to the Saudi Ministry of Health, a thing that could ultimately spell disaster.

“Baka raw magpunta ang Ministry of Health at tanungin kung ano ang ginawa nilang aksyon about dun sa case na yun. Kaya pinapirma nila ako na stop work muna ako in the mean time. I-update na lang daw nila ako sa development,” she says.

But after more than a month ever since the incident happened, there was no update given to Nurse Gina.

She then asked the help of a non-government group Kaagapay ng Bawat OFW, who referred her to the Overseas Workers Welfare Office.

Good thing the mother of both babies decided to settle on compensation as long as the hospital will refund their expenses, says OWWA Welfare Officer James Mendiola.

Ang desisyon sa kanila, hati sila ng ospital dun sa pag-refund, 50-50 sila ng ospital, ang amount na sinabi ay Riyal 10,000 (raoughly P138,874) bawat Isa,” says Mendiola.

Meanwhile, Labor Attache Nasser Munder will try to negotiate that Nurse Gina will be free from all sort of obligations.

“Ine-negotiate natin sa ospital. Alam naman natin ang financial capabilities ng worker maliit lang buwanang sahod, at since may pagkukulangan din ang ospital dahil under staff tapos pinapagtrabaho pa siya kahit na nagpasabi na siya na siya ay uuwi,” says Munder.