RIYADH: The Ministry of Health has stopped all treatment of Saudis at a Singapore hospital after three Saudi children died there in one week. The children had been referred there for bone-marrow transplants. The ministry said it will provide patients with treatment in other advanced countries. Two girls, Rawabi Al-Hazmi and Darin Al-Areeni, died on May 14 and May 19 respectively. A boy, Muhammad Abu Zinadah, died before Friday prayers on May 20. Another boy, Ibrahim Al-Shar'aan, died on March 26. The causes of death, according to the hospital's reports, ranged from rejection of transplanted organs to viral infections, officials said. The children's guardians lodged official complaints against officials from the Ministry of Health and the Kingdom's Embassy in Singapore, who referred them to the hospital. They said they were lured into accepting treatment for their children at the hospital, which presented them with false reports about its high percentage of successful operations, according to officials. The families of the dead children expressed astonishment at the Ministry of Health's decision to refer the children for treatment at the hospital despite knowing that a Saudi patient had died there previously. Okaz/Saudi Gazette was unable to reach Dr. Khalid Al-Hussein, chairman of the Medical Commission for the Treatment of Saudis Abroad to discuss the matter. His office staff said he would return on Saturday.
