Dubai: The Dubai Cassation Court upheld the one year prison sentence for three medics who conducted a nose-job that left an Emirati woman in a coma.
The doctors who worked at a day surgery centre in Dubai were convicted for medical malpractice that led to the permanent disability of 25-year-old Rawdha Abdullah Al Maeeni. They were also ordered to pay Dh51,000 in temporary compensation.
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A 59-year-old ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeon from the Dominican Republic, 65-year-old anaesthetist from Syria and 69-year-old technician, also from Syria, will be deported after they serve their prison terms. The medical centre has been fined Dh300,000.
Dubai Public Prosecution checked the medical reports, questioned the suspects and the witnesses for several months. The final medical report, presented to the investigation team on November 20, 2019, confirmed that the medical staff committed a medical mistake. Investigations revealed that the incident happened on April 23, 2019, when Rawdha, a first year master’s student of hospital management, checked into a Dubai centre for a rhinoplasty as she had difficulty in breathing.
Prosecution said that the ENT doctor told her that she suffered from septotlasty and he did the surgery at a one-day surgery centre which wasn’t equipped to conduct such surgeries. He did the surgery with an anaesthetist and the anaesthetist’s assistant. The investigation confirmed that the medical staff committed a serious medical mistake which resulted in multiple disabilities, according to the medical report by the higher committee for medical responsibility at Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
Rawdha suffered a cardiac arrest on the operating table and the investigation report stated that her brain had been deprived of oxygen for a full seven minutes. Emirati lawyer Isa Bin Haidar, Founder and CEO of Bin Haider Advocates and Legal Consultants, who represent the Rawdha family in the case told Gulf News that he will meet with Rawdha’s father to discuss the civil case against the convicted doctors.
“They ordered to pay Dh51,000 in temporary compensation. I will sit with the father soon to discuss the amount of compensation in the civil law suit. I am thankful to our justice system,” Bin Haidar said.
Case timeline
• April 23, 2019: Rawdha Abdulla Al Maeeni checks into a day care surgery centre for a septoplasty. The surgery, which was to last two hours, stretches to six hours and the patient slips into a coma.
• April 23 evening: Patient is rushed to private hospital where doctors attempt to revive her.
• April 24: Patient is airlifted to an Abu Dhabi hospital where she remained in intensive care.
• June 20: Patient is airlifted to a hospital in Chicago, US, for long-term treatment. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, offers to cover her medical expenses in the US.
• November 20: Prosecution receives final medical report
• January 2, 2020: Case referred to Dubai Criminal Court
• January 20: First hearing at Dubai Criminal Court.
• March 18: Medical staff and centre found guilty at Dubai Criminal Court.
• April 1: Dubai Public Prosecution appeals the verdict asking for toughest punishment.
• July 21: Dubai Court of Appeal upholds verdict by First Instance Court.
• September 28: Dubai Cassation Court upholds Appeal Court verdict.
