JEDDAH — The doctor who gave an eight-year-old boy nitrogen instead of oxygen and fled the country a few days ago when the boy died, might be brought back by the Interpol to serve sentence for the medical error he committed if the health commission members issue a decision to this effect, Abdul Rahman Al-Ojairi, former chairman of health commission in Jeddah, said. He added that the doctor, who works for Jeddah-based Dr. Erfan and Bagedo General Hospital faces imprisonment charges while the hospital owner, maintenance technicians, and other medical staff participating in the operation will be subject to investigation and fined. “The medical errors committed by Jeddah hospitals are on the rise. The decision to shut down Dr. Erfan and Bagedo General Hospital will deter other hospitals not caring about the lives of its patients,” Al-Ojairi was quoted by Al-Watan Arabic newspaper as saying. Al-Ojairi believes that the decision to close Dr. Erfan and Bagedo General Hospital will significantly reduce medical errors inside private hospitals. Dr. Turki Al-Sharif, assistant director of Jeddah Health Affairs, reiterated that the Ministry of Health won't hesitate to impose draconian measures on any hospital found to be guilty of negligence. “These mistakes are unacceptable,” he said.
Yusuf Abdul Latif Jameel, the child's father, said he was satisfied with the shut-down decision because it would protect the lives of people against the greed of private hospitals who care about nothing but how to make more money. He stressed that he would not forgive those who caused the death of his son. “I hope that the medical error that cost Salah Al-Deen his life will be a wake-up call for any hospital which does not realize its enormous responsibility.” — SG
