A Filipino nurse in Saudi Arabia was suspended from work after being blamed for a mix-up between two newborn babies in a hospital in Jeddah.
According to the hospital’s officials, security footage shows the Filipina nurse Gina (not her real name) was the only nurse on duty at the time the switch could have happened. Gina was accused of negligence over the incident and suspended from work, GMA News reported.
However, the Filipina said she was one of two nurses on during the shift. Gina said the incident happened on her last day of work before she was supposed to return home to the Philippines, but ended up being suspended to make way for an investigation.
Gina said the case could be elevated to the Saudi Ministry of Health, so she had sought help from Kaagapay ng Bawat OFW, a worker’s rights group, which referred her to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
James Mendiola, a welfare officer at OWWA, said mothers of the two newborns had decided not to pursue the case and instead sought a refund of their hospital expenses.
Mendiola said the Filipina would have to pay around 10,000 riyals (roughly 138,800 pesos or US$2,650).
Labor Attache Nasser Munder said he would negotiate with the hospital to try to get Gina freed from the obligation.