AHSA: A Saudi is suing Ministry of Health hospitals here for SR3 million for allegedly causing his daughter's death by not detecting her cancer early. He claims further that his other daughter is sick with cancer and was also not diagnosed correctly. Saudi national Khalifa Muhammad Al-Mutawwa said he was forced to lodge the complaint for compensation and justice when his daughter died. Al-Mutawwa alleged that his daughters Taw'ah and Salma received poor medical services. Al-Mutawwa said he would file a lawsuit against Al-Ahsa Health Administration for negligence. Hussein Al-Ruwaili, Director of Health Affairs in Al-Ahsa governorate, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the complaint has been referred to the follow-up department for investigation. He said action will be taken if anyone is found responsible. Al-Mutawwa said his two girls were suffering from a mysterious disease for six months, with the symptoms being breathing difficulties and pain in the throat, neck and shoulders. Al-Mutawwa said he kept taking his two daughters to King Fahd Hospital in Al-Hofuf and Prince Saud Bin Julawi Hospital in Al-Mubarraz. They had to undergo tests, analyses and radiology. Despite this, the doctors only prescribed pain-killers and did not investigate why their illnesses had not been cured after such a long time. “With the worsening condition of my daughter, Taw'ah, I managed after several attempts to reach King Khaled Hospital in Riyadh, which diagnosed the case after the first examination. It was discovered that they were both suffering from cancer. The disease had already spread to vital parts of Taw'ah's body. The doctors confirmed that there was a small probability of her recovering from the disease. They were astonished at the inability of Al-Ahsa hospitals to detect the disease early.” He said he took his daughter to Prince Saud Bin Julawi Hospital to determine why the disease was not detected. “I learnt from the employees that the histology laboratory had been lying closed for eight months.” He said Taw'ah's condition worsened, forcing him to take her to the ENT Hospital in Al-Mubarraz, which in turn transferred her in an ambulance to King Fahd Hospital in Al-Hofuf. At this point, his “journey of suffering” began. His daughter remained for long hours in the emergency room because there was no vacant bed. After many attempts, she was transferred to the women's ward where she was accompanied by her sister. The next day, her sister telephoned to say Taw'ah was not being provided any medical treatment and doctors were not attending to her case regularly. There was then a rapid deterioration of Taw'ah's health.
