Hospital denies negligence allegations
Hospital denies negligence allegations
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The administrators of Honoris Hospital in Tangerang denied on
Thursday all allegations that it was negligent in the case of 70-
year-old patient Cecilia Djarwati, who fell into a coma.
Cecilia was admitted to the hospital on May 25 to undergo
cataract surgery on her left eye and remains to this day in a
coma.
According to the hospital's lawyer O.C. Kaligis, the doctors
had not yet begun the surgery when the patient lost
consciousness.
The hospital explained that Cecilia was previously treated at
the hospital for a stroke. She was discharged after four days of
treatment.
On April 17, Cecilia went to the hospital and asked the
doctors to check her eyes.
The doctors recommended cataract surgery and Cecilia's family
agreed to have the surgery on May 25.
"(The hospital) prepared all the necessary procedures to
conduct an eye operation. They gave the patient snacks at 12:20
p.m., but she threw up once at about 1 p.m. But remember, she has
a historical record of brain stroke," Kaligis explained to
reporters at his office.
At 1:30 p.m., while the hospital staff prepared her for the
operation, Cecilia fell unconscious, and she was taken to another
room for emergency treatment.
A brain scan showed cerebral bleeding. With the family's
consent, the hospital subsequently conducted brain surgery.
"Cecilia's condition is getting better ... But we were very
surprised that the following days, several media had published
that her family had reported the case to the police, and accused
my client (Honoris Hospital) of malpractice," Kaligis said.
Local media reported the case after one of Cecilia's daughters
filed a complaint with the police on July 25, alleging negligence
by the hospital.
Retno Pancawati said that her mother began vomiting and lost
consciousness after she was given medication at the hospital just
before the eye surgery.
Kaligis argued that the articles published in the newspapers
had tarnished the hospital's public image, and would prevent
would-be patients from choosing Honoris Hospital for medical
treatment.
He said that he had sent the newspapers his client's version
as part of their right to respond.
"We will file a police report against any media group that
doesn't publish our response," he warned.
He was referring to articles published in Koran Tempo daily
newspaper, Kompas Cyber Media news portal, Satelit News daily
newspaper and The Jakarta Post.