Judge AWOL in malpractice suit

Judge AWOL in malpractice suit

JAKARTA: For the second time, the Central Jakarta District
Court postponed on Monday the opening hearing on a malpractice
lawsuit against the doctors of Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital (RSCM), because the presiding judge was unexplainably
absent.

"We've been told by the court clerk that the trial is
rescheduled for May 5," said the plaintiff's lawyer, Taufik
Basari of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta).

Plaintiff Indra Yacub is suing the doctors for negligence that
resulted in the death of his wife.

He demanded that the hospital make a public apology and pay
material damages of Rp 47,324,000 (US$5,502) and nonmaterial
damages of Rp 3 billion.

Adya Vitry Harsisusanti died in 2002 after a doctor inserted a
central venous pressure (CVP) needle into a vein in her neck to
administer an anesthetic to prepare her for a surgery the next
day. -- JP