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28 March 2024

Cardiologist, hospital director accused of refusing treatment to stroke victim, who died

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A cardiologist and a hospital director allegedly mistakenly caused the death of a man who had a stroke and failed to provide him the needed treatment before discussing the finances.

The doctor, NI, 41, and the director, BD, 45, both Iranians, are also accused of providing ineffective drug not suitable for the patient’s emergency case. They also failed to keep accurate records of the patient, according to the Prosecution’s indictment sheet.

According to the records, AD, Indian, in his 40s, was rushed to the hospital suffering from chest pain. He died five days after admission to hospital. He was not provided with the necessary medical intervention for his emergency case that could have saved his life.

The doctor NI prescribed a medicine, which not only did not help to improve his condition but in fact deteriorated it. After three days, the doctor decided that a cardiac catheterisation was needed.

 “The patient and his family refused the operation. I did not commit any medical error and dealt with the situation professionally,” NI told the police.

The director, BD, defended himself as saying that he is not concerned with medical treatment. However, he said the hospital’s management had directed all doctors to intervene and save the lives of patients in cases of emergency without asking for fees.

The hospital does not condition providing treatment with payment of medical charges. About Dh75 million was the total cost of treatment provided to those who were unable to pay during his work in the hospital, which he had left in 2013, the director claimed.

“The doctor bears the full responsibility regarding failing to provide the needed and urgent medical intervention in this case. She should have done that even without taking the consent of the patient or his family. She should have asked for support of other medical staff and surgeons," the director told investigators.

A medical committee of Dubai Health Authority assigned to investigate the case reported that the patient, who had a cardiac stroke, was not given an effective drug that is usually given in such a case, but rather a less effective one that did not work.

Also, the patient’s case required a cardiac catheterisation that he was not provided with to help save his life. A treatment plan should have been implemented without discussing it with the patient or his family.

The hospital did not reduce the cost and did not solve financial obstacles while informing relatives of the need for medical intervention to help save the patient’s life.

Also, there was dangerous negligence in archiving and documenting the patient’s information such as the date of death, the committee reported.

The doctor, however, admitted that there were mistakes in documentation and archiving.

The court, which will reconvene on June 22, asked to send the report to the medical committee, asking them to hear the objections of the two accused, in addition to identifying the responsibility of them for actions that led to the patient’s death.