THE HEALTH Minister has ordered an investigation into the reasons behind a ten-month-old girl’s death from gastroenteritis at the Makarios Hospital last week, following her parents’ claims that there were no doctors on duty to treat their child.
At the same time, Health Minister Charis Charalambous has requested a report from Paphos General Hospital concerning the death of 14-month-old Andreas Adamou on Monday, also due to gastroenteritis.
In both cases, the children were brought in with acute dehydration, which was a result of the gastroenteritis.
Charalambous said yesterday that he had decided to launch the investigation following a visit by ten-month-old Marikrini Mantidou’s parents – who said that there had been no doctor on duty when they arrived at the Makarios Hospital.
He said staff at the hospital were maintaining that Mantidou had been examined by a doctor, adding that only the investigation would indicate the real facts.
“The point which concerned me especially was that both parents, as well as other relatives who escorted the parents to my office on Monday, who were present during those hours near the small child, all have assured me – and they are categorical – that they did not see a doctor anywhere, apart from nurses, who did everything they could to save the child,” the minister said.
“And they say that they asked the nurses one by one, each one was saying: ‘I am not a doctor, I am a nurse.’ No doctor spoke to them, they didn’t see anybody, and they couldn’t find a doctor.”
Charalambous admitted the versions of events from both sides were totally contradictory. Only a thorough investigation, he said, would reveal the real facts.
“I believe that an investigation is a sober tool to bring the truth to light, whatever it may be.”
The object of the investigation, the minister continued, was to see if indeed a doctor had been on duty during little Mantidou’s last hours, also taking into consideration the fact that the Makarios Hospital had been alerted by the girl’s private doctor that she would be arriving there.
“I want to see that everything was in place, they operated as they should have operated and the medical care which was provided was appropriate.”
The fact that Mantidou had been monitored by private doctors leading up to her death did not indicate that any sort of negligence had taken place, said Charalambous. “It may have been a case of health deterioration.”
He said he had asked Mantidou’s parents and relatives on Monday how they felt about the private doctors’ role in the affair.
“The parents felt and said that they didn’t want to see anything further being investigated in the area of the private doctors, who examined the child.
“If the parents feel that something else needs to be done, even though it is not our authority, we will advise them.”
Referring to 14-month-old Andreas Adamou’s death in Paphos, Charalambous said he had spoken to the head of Paphos General Hospital, Filaktis Constantinides, who assured him that all the appropriate procedures had been followed.
“Mr Constantinides described the events from the beginning; that the child was again introduced in a bad state of health, during working hours this time. It was 8.30-9am, with all the paediatricians and staff and mechanisms operating completely. Everything was done to handle the situation, but it wasn’t possible.”
“At the same time, I have requested from Mr Constantinides to prepare initially a written report of the events so we can see if we need there to do anything or if we need to investigate some aspect further.
Meanwhile, the head of the Paediatric Association, Maro Solomou has warned parents not to take symptoms like diarrhoea lightly as dehydration is one of the most fatal conditions in infants.
In fact, Solomou said that gastroenteritis was one of the main causes of death for infants.
She added that a baby should under no circumstances reach the point of dehydration and advised parents to visit their doctor immediately if they discover that their child is continuously losing liquids.
Referring to 10-month-old Mantidou, Solomou pointed out that when the child had been taken to Makario, her health situation was irreversible.
“In the case of the child in Nicosia, the child had reached the hospital in a situation that was irreversible. Meaning, she was almost dead. Nobody could have saved the child. The child’s condition was terminal, sadly”, said Solomou.
Adamou from Paphos had also arrived at hospital in a very bad condition, said Solomou.
“He was immediately treated but unfortunately, due to the illness, he started getting spasms and eventually the child passed away too, sadly.”
She went on: “When something like this happens, always someone tries to blame the doctor. Things weren’t like that; from what I understand in Paphos, the private doctor was calling the hospital and trying to find out how the child was and he insisted on the seeing the child again and the parents reassured him. And afterwards, when he saw the child, he himself ran to the hospital and took the child. He realised how serious the situation was.”
Solomou advised parents to be vigilant when a baby has diarrhoea, which causes the loss of liquids.
“When the parent realises that the child is losing liquids and has diarrhoea, it is also summertime and therefore very hot, they must take the child to the doctor immediately.
Unfortunately, sometimes the symptoms aren’t very intense, and even the parent can’t spot them. When it is in initial stages, the child is boisterous and shows no signs or symptoms.”
