Doctors to pay Dh200,000 blood money for causing child's death in UAE

Abu Dhabi - Investigations showed that the doctors weren't able to deal with the problem properly at the beginning of the treatment

Two doctors, who were convicted of causing the death of a child due to negligence, have been fined Dh40,000 each. They were also ordered to pay blood money to the child's family.
The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi upheld earlier rulings by lower courts that handed the sentence to the Asian doctors and found them guilty of causing the death of the child because of misdiagnosis that resulted from negligence.
According to court documents, the Arab child, who had breathing problems, was taken to a hospital in a northern emirate for treatment.
After examining him, the two doctors briefly put the child on an oxygen machine and then discharged him. However, the child's condition worsened after leaving the hospital and later died.
A medical report showed that the child had suffered from hypoxia and a doctor should have provided the patient with sufficient oxygen as quickly as possible and should have made sure there was enough oxygen in the kid's blood.
Investigations showed that the doctors weren't able to deal with the problem properly at the beginning of the treatment, causing the child's condition to deteriorate.
After the probe, prosecutors charged the two doctors with medical negligence that caused the child's death.
The doctors denied any lapses in the treatment throughout their trial and insisted that they did their job well.
A report by the technical medical committee that was appointed by the court said there was negligence in treating the child as the doctors failed to diagnose the patient correctly.
The committee said the doctors ignored, or were ignorant of, some technical issues and basic knowledge that all specialised doctors at their level should have known.
Both the Criminal Court of First Instance and the Appeal Court convicted the two doctors.
They, however, challenged the ruling in the UAE's top court, which rejected their appeal and maintained the earlier rulings.
The doctors were ordered to pay a total of Dh200,000 as blood money to the child's parents.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi