Bahrain twins' death: SMC being investigated by NHRA, Father to meet Health Minister today

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A “thorough and extensive” investigation is ongoing into the deaths of the twin babies “Fatima and Zahra” at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).

Chief Executive of the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Dr Mariam Adhbi Al Jalahma said officials were investigating allegations and errors that might have led to the shocking ordeal at SMC.

The Daily Tribune had reported the heart-wrenching story of a father who had to go through the hardships of losing his just born twin girls twice in a matter of hours following what he calls a serious lapse from the part of doctors.

On that day, doctors presuming the babies as dead handed-over their bodies in “a bag” to the distressed father, who was shocked to death after finding at the time of burial that his darlings were alive. Soon, the man rushed the babies to SMC, but he ended up heartbroken once again, with both of them failing to survive the horrific ordeal. SMC later said: “One of the babies was dead when they were brought to the hospital, and the other died at the neonatal intensive care unit, a few hours later.”

Dr Al Jalahma stressed that the authority is investigating the complaint lodged by the twins’ father and notification from SMC and the Public Prosecution. The authority, she said, is collecting information about the twins’ mother, the date of her admission to hospital, and her medical history from SMC.

“NHRA will carry out a thorough and extensive investigation on all medical professionals who dealt with the case,” she said adding the authority is assisted by senior consultants in gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics from outside SMC.

Dr Al Jalahma said the authority is looking forward to submitting its findings and documents to a technical committee to determine the cause of the medical error this week. The committee consists of 13 consultants from various medical specialties. Public Prosecution, which tasked the authority to investigate the case, will receive the final report. Health Ministry, in a statement, earlier confirmed suspending a doctor for his alleged role in the incident under investigation.

What the doctors at the hospital said?

“The patient came to SMC on October 15, 2020, at 8pm, and she was in a state of abortion at 22 weeks of pregnancy, and the result was two newborn. After examination by the medical staff, it was found at the time that there were no signs that they were alive and handed over to the father on October 16, 2020, at 9.30am,” the Chief of Medical Services at SMC wrote in a report.

The report adds: “On the same day, the father brought the newborn back to SMC, and after examining them by the medical staff, doctors found that one of them was dead and the other was making a crying sound. The newborn was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit for premature infants, but she passed away on the same day at 9.30 pm.”

Father to meet Minister today

The shocking incident had its pain felt at the Bahrain Parliament too. MP Ammar Al-Abbas yesterday said they had arranged an urgent meeting with the father of the twin girls “Fatima and Zahra”. The meeting with the Health Minister Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh and other officials will take place today at the Ministry building.

Al-Abbas said that the Minister was closely following the developments in the case, adding that the incident sent shock waves through the Bahraini society. 
“What happened has touched the hearts of Bahraini people and the matter today has become an important public issue which concerns everyone,” he said.