Two UAE doctors convicted of malpractice for Pinay baby's death

A United Arab Emirates court (UAE) has convicted a pediatrician neonatologist and a resident doctor of malpractice and negligence for the death of a Filipina baby in 2010. According to a report of the news site Gulf News on Thursday, the Dubai Misdemeanor Court handed the two doctors a six-month suspended imprisonment each. However, the resident doctor, an Indian national, was sentenced in absentia because she left the country shortly after her contract expired with the Dubai-based hospital, the report said. The 41-year-old Canadian pediatrician, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty before the court. The judgment may be appealed within 13 days. Failure to do jobs well According to the accusation sheet, the two accused doctors failed to do their jobs properly and accidentally caused the baby’s death 22 hours after being born. The prosecutors said the Indian did not have proper experience in resuscitating the premature baby while the Canadian failed to perform endotracheal intubation and needle aspiration on the baby, who died due to complications. The baby's 35-year-old mother testified that she went for an ordinary check-up for her pregnancy at the hospital Oct. 8, 2010 when she was told that she was in labor. She related that she was carrying twin girls and was expected to give birth on October 21 that year. However, she was immediately admitted for delivery after being told that she was already undergoing labor. She noted that her "elder twin didn’t cry when I first delivered her. I also noticed that some blueness on her mouth. She was immediately moved to the intensive care unit. Her sister was fine." Investigation In October 2011, a four-member investigation committee that probed the incident on instructions of the Dubai Healthcare Authority found the management of the baby was questionable. The probers said the doctor who attended the delivery failed to perform appropriate neonatal resuscitation. Quoting the committee report, Gulf News said, “The diagnosis for meconium aspiration syndrome was made without any evidence of meconium staining of amniotic fluid and subsequent e-x-ray findings. There was also delay in the management of pneumothorax and administering of antibiotics." "No attempts were made to transfer the baby to a specialized neonatal unit capable of handling such cases,” the report added. The committee also recommended referring the suspects to the Public Prosecution for further investigation. - VVP, GMA News