Saudi Family to Sue Over Swine Flu Death

DAMMAM – The family of Saleh Al-Shehri, the first person in the Kingdom to die from swine flu, is to sue the private hospital to which he was admitted in Dammam for failing to correctly diagnose his illness.

 

The Saudi family, who held Al-Shehri’s funeral Tuesday in Madina, claim that the failure to provide a correct diagnoses led to complications resulting in his death, and intend to register their case Wednesday in Dammam to seek compensation for the wife and son of the deceased.

 

A Ministry of Health statement Monday said that 30-year-old Al-Shehri was admitted to a private hospital last Wednesday at approximately 6 P.M. suffering from a high temperature, a cough, a sore throat and breathing difficulties.

 

The statement added that Al-Shehri’s weight was a contributing factor in his death, and examinations showed that he suffered from a severe inflammation of the lungs for which he was

given antibiotics.

 

Al-Shehri’s condition, the ministry statement said, grew worse during his first eight hours in hospital, resulting in him being transferred Thursday to intensive care where he was put on artificial respiration and given Tamiflu. His condition worsened, however, and terminated in his death on Saturday at 5.55 A.M.

 

Al-Shehri’s three brothers Abdul Aziz, Abdul Rahman and Mohammed, said Tuesday they were following the investigation being conducted by the Ministry of Health and added that the hospital failed to detect their brother’s illness in time and administer the appropriate treatment.

 

Al-Shehri’s father-in-law said that he was informed of his son-in-law’s death Saturday while he was in Tabuk, his place of residence, with Al-Shehri’s wife and son, Sultan. The last time they saw Saleh was at King Fahd Airport in Dammam before they left the previous Friday. – Okaz/SG

 

 

Mohammed Udheib - WebMD