Hospital denies malpractice in embassy bombing death
Hospital denies malpractice in embassy bombing death
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The death of Mutia Rahmani Amalia, 16, on Sunday has prompted the
management of Medistra Hospital in South Jakarta, where the girl
underwent cranial surgery, to deny accusations of negligence.
Hospital director Susilawati Bolang said on Wednesday the
hospital followed all the proper procedures in treating Mutia.
She said doctors closely observed Mutia's condition while she
was treated at the hospital.
"The surgery to treat Mutia's fractured skull was carried out
on Sept. 25 and it was successful," she said, adding that after
the surgery Mutia's condition was much improved.
Medistra refused to be held accountable for Mutia's
deteriorating condition two days after the surgery, saying the
family insisted on taking the girl home despite doctors' urging
that she be kept at the hospital.
Mutia was admitted to the hospital on Sept. 17 after being
treated at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta for
injuries she suffered in the Sept. 9 bombing outside the
Australian Embassy.
The high school student sustained head and leg injuries when
she was caught in the blast as she got off a minibus across from
the embassy.
She died on Sunday at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore
after falling into a coma.
Mutia's father, Rudi Gunadi, 43, vice principal at SMU 6 state
high school, said on Wednesday he was disappointed in Medistra's
treatment of his daughter.
"She was sent to the hospital with a fracture of her skull but
she died of a malfunctioning liver and kidney."
"For two weeks her temperature fluctuated to as high as 40.6
degree Celsius," he said. "The doctors said she was suffering an
internal infection, but they did not know exactly where."
"First the said it was paratyphoid, then a liver problem,
later they said it was intro-bacterial and then they said it was
malaria," he said. "My wife said, 'What? She wasn't in the
jungle.'"
Rudi said Mutia insisted on going home, but was taken back to
Medistra three days later suffering from delirium and high fever.
The Australian government flew Mutia to Singapore for further
treatment. Doctors there found the infection had spread to all of
Mutia's internal organs, "and the source of the infection was
Mutia's broken left ankle", Rudi said.
"But I am not planning to file a lawsuit against Medistra. I
only want the management of the hospital to evaluate their
performance. I don't want other people to have the same
experience," he said.