The family of dentist Tariq Al-Juhani, who died due to a medical error last week, has filed a lawsuit against the quality company that had given the erring hospital certification stating that it implemented international standards and introduced high-quality health care service. Muhammad Al-Juhani, brother of the deceased, said Tariq did not have any chronic diseases as claimed by the hospital owner. He said what put his brother in a two-week coma that ended with his death was that the overweight caused a contraction of the bronchi, not asthma fit. “The doctor lied to my family outside the operation room during the surgery when he told them Tariq was well,” Muhammad said. He added that the medical team that performed the surgery “had committed nine consecutive medical errors including an anesthetic overdose, giving my brother a muscle tranquilizer before inserting the oxygen tube and inserting the tube itself into the pharynx instead of the windpipe.” “The dose was not compatible with Tariq's weight. We see the negligence and manslaughter involved,” the brother said adding that “we're confident in the integrity of the judiciary and that our right will not be lost.” The father is now trying to collect all medical reports and files on Tariq's health conditions to “clear the truth” according to his son. Dr. Mahmoud Abduljawwad, Assistant Health Affairs Director for Medical and Pharmaceutical Licenses who is also chairman of the Violation Committee, said investigations had completed and the case is now with the Shariah Medical Commission to look into it in terms of private and public rights. “The status of the anesthetist is a major violation,” he said. “We closed six operation theaters and two rooms and allowed three rooms: emergency, cardiac catheterization and obstetrics,” Abduljawwad said. He added the investigation team comprised anesthetization and surgery consultants and a doctor from the medical license department, while a committee assigned to assess the hospital and operation rooms comprised of neutral members from the National Guard, King Fahd Military and King Abdulaziz University hospitals “as for us not to be the opponent and judge in the same time.” Abduljawwad said the Health Affairs Department formed the investigation committee before Al-Juhani's complain was filed. “We conducted an investigation and filed the results to the minister of health requesting the closure of operation rooms in the hospital and referred the case to the Shariah Commission that is headed by a judge and involves members from the ministry and a legal specialist. The department will implement its decision when issued,” he added. He said that the error was caused by an individual mistake of the duty director or official. “The patient was not treated the same as other patients. Pre-surgery measures like sufficient examination, medical history, the extent of patient ability to endure anesthetization and others were not applied accurately, which is a public right responsibility.”
