Healthcare | Friday 15 May, 2015 9:18 am |

Around 230 medical practitioners have been indicted by forensic medical commissions for having committed serious medical errors, notably in the gynecology and maternity departments, during the past year.

According to data prepared by the commissions, the medical practitioners included 153 male and female doctors, 77 anesthesia and X-ray technicians, besides nurses, local media have reported.

Riyadh region emerged tops for the largest number of medical errors with 55 cases, followed by Makkah (53) and Eastern Province (47), the report said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Khalid Al-Jaber, Director General of Forensic Medical Commissions at the Ministry of Health, stressed the need to create a new structure for medical experts in such commissions so that they could be nominated by the Ministries of Health and Education, in addition to aiding the opening of doors for other candidates from different sectors.

Addressing a forum on the current and future situation of the commissions, Al-Jaber said that his department seeks to introduce new and creative ideas, such as the setting up of a higher consultative commission to monitor the work of the existing forensic medical commissions, and to document the rulings issued by commissions for reference.
Only a few days ago, a number of judges and doctors suggested that the government should set up a special body to oversee investigations into medical errors in the country.