Iraqi patient dies after eating kebab following surgery, hospital denies medication error

Dubai: A 44-year-old patient died at Tuz Khurmatu General Hospital in Iraq’s Salahuddin province after his condition deteriorated suddenly following a heavy meal shortly after surgery, prompting the hospital to deny claims of a medication error.

The patient had been admitted with a condition requiring urgent surgery, which was completed successfully, the hospital administration said, according to local media reports.

He was conscious and in a stable condition after the operation and was transferred to the surgical ward for recovery. The surgeon instructed the patient to consume only liquids and very light meals during the initial post-operative period, the hospital said.

However, relatives later brought him a kebab meal from a local restaurant, of which he ate a large quantity, according to the hospital’s account.

The patient subsequently developed severe abdominal pain and vomiting before his vital signs deteriorated rapidly.

Surgical, anesthesia and resuscitation teams intervened in an attempt to save him, but he died despite their efforts.

The hospital said an initial assessment suggested the patient may have suffered a sudden heart attack. His body was transferred to the forensic medicine department in Kirkuk to determine the precise cause of death.

The incident prompted widespread discussion on Iraqi social media, including allegations that an incorrect dose of medication may have contributed to the death.

The hospital rejected those claims, saying all medical procedures and medications administered to the patient from admission until his death had been appropriate and in accordance with established protocols.

Authorities are awaiting the forensic examination to establish the definitive cause of death.