A hospital in Saudi Arabia's Taif city is facing closure in the face of a medical negligence investigation, after its doctors declared a baby dead, when in fact the baby was alive at the time of burial, The Saudi Gazette reported.
According to an initial investigation by health authorities, the baby remained alive for several hours after being pronounced dead.
The pregnant mother gave birth to twins, a girl and a boy on Saturday. Her case was handled by the consultant gynecologist on duty, the department said, after delivery it appeared to doctors that the twins were born without any signs of life. A second doctor a pediatrician was called in 40 minutes later, who also confirmed both babies were dead.
The hospital then handed over the twins for burial. While washing the baby boy, they found his heart was beating. The medical team at the hospital tried its best to save the baby but it breathed its last breath at 7.15 p.m the same day, and its death was officially declared.
The baby boy and his twin sister were buried at Al-Abbas Graveyard in Taif after a funeral prayer at Abdullah Bin Abbas mosque.
The family of the twins has urged authorities to take action against the hospital for its flagrant negligence 'as it did not try to save the life of a baby which lived for five hours after the hospital declared it dead.'
The department has not yet taken any action against the private hospital and the incident has sparked anger in the city with people blaming the doctors for sheer negligence.
Saleh Al-Moonis, a spokesman, said that the Health Director has instructed the investigating committee to visit the private hospital and review its condition. According to the report, the investigation committee has instructed authorities to prevent the doctors involved from traveling abroad until the investigation is complete.