JEDDAH — A doctor at a private hospital incorrectly diagnosed a woman as dead and refused to admit her to the emergency unit. Zuhai Abd Rabbuh said his wife had a heart attack at home. He called the emergency number of the Red Crescent. Rather than waiting for the ambulance to arrive, he took his wife in his car to a private hospital. An emergency room doctor examined her in the car, and declared that she had died, and refused to admit her to the emergency ward. The Red Crescent called him 20 minutes later asking for directions to the residence. Abd Rabbuh told them his wife was already at the hospital. He then asked the Red Crescent to transport her to another hospital, but they refused, claiming that they have instructions not to transport patients from one hospital to another. The husband had to transfer his wife in his car to another hospital, which admitted her into the emergency ward and provided her with the necessary treatment. However, the doctors told him the delay in providing treatment put her in a coma. The husband said he will sue the first hospital for refusing treatment to his wife. Director of Jeddah Health Affairs Dr. Sami Badawood said regulations guarantee treatment for all citizens and residents. The Red Crescent will transport the patient to a government hospital, and if the patient cannot be admitted for any reason, the patient will be transported to a private hospital, Badawood said. If the patient is a citizen, the Ministry of Health Affairs will pay for the hospitalization cost. If the patient is a resident, the insurance company will be responsible to cover the cost, he added. — SG
