JEDDAH, 18 January 2005 — The parents claim it was a case of medical negligence; hospital staff claim it was a case of what could have been a curable illness left unchecked too long. The only thing that is certain is that early on the morning of Oct. 19, a little girl named Rafah Fathima died.
Her grieving father is blaming the private hospital for the death of his four-and-a-half-year-old daughter and accusing the doctor who treated her of negligence.
Mohamed Gani Jabarullah’s daughter, Rafah Fathima, was having stomach pain and vomiting. After taking her to a polyclinic, he was advised to take her to Jeddah National Hospital on Makarona Street on the afternoon of Oct. 18. The attending physician, a pediatrician, examined her and admitted her to the hospital.
“They admitted her into a normal ward. He gave her medicine for her stomach pain and vomiting, but she vomited the medicine,” Jabarullah told Arab News. Later that evening, the attending physician gave her some medicine, and when Rafah wanted some juice because she hadn’t had anything for the past two days, the doctor refused and suggested rice water instead, according to Jabarullah.
“At about 11:30 p.m., there was no improvement with her health, but the doctor assured me she would be all right soon. If he hinted to me about the seriousness of her condition, I could have taken her to some good hospital,” Jabarullah said.
After midnight, he had to leave his wife with Rafah because the nurse told them only one person could remain. At 3:30 a.m., his wife phoned and told him that the child was still vomiting, and he rushed back.
“The attending physician came and told the nurse to give vomit medicine,” he said.
At 4:35 a.m., the child was still crying. “She was having breathing problems, and the nurse called the doctor who came and asked the nurse to give her oxygen and left, but when the nurse fixed the oxygen mask, my child was crying and could not tolerate it. Due to the oxygen, the lungs got more constrained and after noticing this, the nurse called the doctor again at 6:40,” said Jabarullah. He said only then did the doctor notice the seriousness of the situation.
“Unfortunately, my daughter vomited blood and foam, which came through her mouth and nose and died after five minutes. Immediately, the doctor took her to the Intensive Care Unit and affixed some monitors, but she had already passed away,” said Jabarullah. When they inquired about the cause of death, they were told it was pneumonia.
“It was due to the wrong treatment given by the doctor. When I asked for the medical report and receipt for the payment I made, they refused and later gave me a typed paper,” he said. “I request the concerned authorities to take severe action against the attending physician at Jeddah National Hospital for giving me the forged and false report. He presented a copy of the death certificate, which states in Arabic that the original disease causing death is severe respiratory infection, gastritis and dehydration, and the main cause of death is cardiopulmonary collapse. The medical report signed by the attending physician and the hospital’s medical director, written in English states, that the child was treated in different polyclinics and was referred here with severe respiratory tract infection, severe vomiting and erosive gastritis.
Arab News visited the hospital and met with the attending physician who was disturbed by the accusation and defended the treatment he administered.
“The baby was in pain and vomiting for a few days and had been taken to two clinics before being brought to us, and she came in bad condition,” he said. After she was given medication, she improved and stopped vomiting, according to him. “She was given IV fluid because she could not take anything orally and had signs of dehydration. She could not take any juice because that might have aggravated her condition, that’s why I allowed sips of rice water.”
Her medication was given through an intravenous line. “She was having respiratory distress and the oxygen was to help her breathe because with the pneumonia there was infection and inflammation of the lungs,” explained the attending physician.
There may be another explanation, but it’s one offered reluctantly.
“I think what happened was when she vomited again late at night, her mother panicked and picked her up, which caused the child to inhale the vomit back into her lungs. We did not wish to say that to the mother and cause her more suffering,” said the medical director to Arab News, sympathizing with the parents’ grief. The nurse immediately resuscitated her and called the doctor.
“Pneumonia in its early stage is curable, but it is not a simple thing. It is the second most common cause of death of babies,” said the attending physician.
There was no refusal or delay in giving the father a medical report, claims the attending physician, but it took time to write it and have it typed and signed. Hospital owner Valiya Peediyakkal Mohammedali was upset by the fact the parents had not pursued their complaint with him before taking it to the press. He says people need to remember there is only so much hospitals can do.
“We try to help, but sometimes things go out of our hands,” said Mohammedali.
A stomach ache, a bout of vomiting. How many parents can recall hearing such complaints from their children? Negligence — or seeking treatment too late? The only thing that is certain is that early on the morning of Oct. 19, a little girl named Rafah Fathima died.
