The Medical Commission in Makkah is investigating a case of alleged neglect against Hera Hospital here which is accused of failing to properly treat a diabetic patient after her foot developed gangrene which eventually led to her death a few days after the foot was amputated. The commission is looking into the particular reasons that led to the woman's death, said Faiq Hassan, spokesman of the Medical Commission. The results of investigation will be announced after investigation has been completed. Sameera Hassan Al-Shareef, daughter of the dead woman, has accused the hospital of poor treatment of her mother's case despite the fact that the hospital knew that she was diabetic, throwing the blame on her mother's nursing staff. When the woman's foot color changed, the daughter pleaded with a physician to examine her and diagnose the case, she said. Finally, after examination, a team of consultants agreed to amputate her foot, she said. But her mother passed away a few days after the amputation. It was too late when the hospital finally found out how urgent her mother's case was, she said. The medical staff began to blame each other for the miscommunication about the case, Al-Shareef said, asking for severe punishment for the responsible parties. Gangrene is the death and decay of a body part due to a deficient blood supply and is frequently a complication in the cases of diabetics. People with impaired peripheral blood flow, such as diabetics, are at greater risk of contracting dry gangrene.
