Case reached Moscow
The Ministry of Health can't prohibit a doctor from doing his job. That is the job of the police," said chief expert of the mother and child health maintenance department at the RA Ministry of Health Gayane Avagyan during a seminar organized by the RA Ministry of Health and World Vision Armenia in Tsakhkadzor.
On 22 November 2010, a newborn died from lack of oxygen at the "Armenia" medical center and the child's' parents blame pediatrician-gynecologist David Abovyan for that. Abovyan has received a warning from the Ministry of Health and has been sent on a three-month business trip to the medical center in Alaverdi.
In its conclusion, the special commission examining the case registered that David Abovyan had committed an error, hadn't paid proper attention to the mother's persistent demand for birth through a Caesarian section and denied it for no reason.
"It is clear that there was an error that contributed or led to the child's death. Conducting the Caesarian section or not has nothing to do with the death. The child died from a generalized infection in the womb and that usually appears in the first 72 hours after giving birth. In this case, it appeared immediately after birth and everything was done for the child's treatment," said Gayane Avagyan.
The case has been sent to the police and the solution taken from the child's organs has been sent to Moscow for expert examination.
Gayane Avagyan doesn't consider sending the doctor to the medical center in Alaverdi as punishment.
"He was punished for not being able to convince and prove that a Caesarian section was unnecessary. If he wasn't able to, he had to conduct the Caesarian section. Sending the doctor to Alaverdi is by the prescribed order so that he will be away from attacks since all this has an impact on pregnant women's senses," said Avagyan.
According to Avagyan, the death rates of mothers are
declining in Armenia. The highest number of death cases was registered in 2008 (15), after which the number reduced by 3 in 2009 and there were only three cases in 2010. Avagyan assured that none of these deaths was caused by a doctor's error.
