Two doctors were detained on suspicion of murder as part of an investigation launched after 17 patients died in a four-day hospital in Romania.
HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE REPORTED
Following the deaths of 17 patients in the intensive care unit of Sfantul Pantelimon Hospital in Bucharest, Romania, in four days, an investigation was launched after a hospital employee reported the deaths. As part of the investigation, two female doctors were detained on suspicion of causing the death of a 54-year-old patient in critical condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit by reducing the dose of norepinephrine given to the patient.
NURSE LIED TOO
Authorities also announced that a nurse who was found to have lied in her statement was detained.
“The two doctors devised and implemented a plan to suddenly reduce the dose of norepinephrine, which is key to maintaining blood pressure in intensive care, and in this way triggered the deaths of patients who needed intensive care but whom the defendants believed should not be kept alive,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
THEIR HOMES WERE SEARCHED, THE DIRECTOR’S RESIGNATION WAS REQUESTED
As part of the investigation, prosecutors and police officers searched the homes of healthcare workers and seized their computers and medical records. Romanian Health Minister Alexandru Rafila demanded the resignation of Dr. Bogdan Socea, Director of Sfantul Pantelimon Hospital. Following the developments, Socea stated that this was a matter of honor and announced that he would submit his resignation.
“DIFFICULT TO PROVE”
It was stated in the investigation that the devices that injected noradrenaline into patients were not allocated to specific patients, but were transferred from one patient to another as needed, and that no records were kept of these movements, making it difficult to prove intent to murder.
CRITICISM OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM
Romania has one of the least developed health systems in the European Union, and the state has been criticised for building only one hospital in the last 30 years and allocating the lowest budget to health in the EU.