'Medical error’ makes 4-yr-old girl paralytic

An alleged medical error has resulted in a 4-year-old Saudi girl getting paralyzed in both arms and legs.

A female doctor in a private hospital has been accused of the medical error causing young Mayan to suffer from the disease called quadriplegia in the medical jargon.

The Health Affairs in Madinah has forwarded the complaint from Mayan's Saudi father to an expert committee to further investigate the case.

The case will then be referred to the Shariah Committee.

Mayan's father told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that his wife went to a private hospital in the city when she had labor pains.

“The female doctor dealing with her case left her during delivery to treat other patients and did not return for two hours. This led to deficiency of oxygen during delivery and the death of cells in Mayan's brain causing her to suffer from quadriplegia with inability to speak.”

A Madinah Health Affairs committee acknowledged the error pointing out that abandoning the woman at the time of delivery was wrong. Besides, it also conceded that the device for monitoring the infant’s pulse was not functioning.

“I visited the Shariah Medical Committee for implementation of the decision, but I was told that the committee was busy with the circumcision case.”

He said he visited many rehabilitation centers in Jeddah and Riyadh that confirmed that his daughter’s treatment was available abroad.

The father is demanding action against the hospital and Mayan's treatment abroad.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Taifi, Director of Health Affairs in Madinah, said the father's complaint has been sent to the Follow-up Department. It will then be referred to the Shariah Medical Committee.

This article is courtesy of the Saudi Gazette.