Ministry of Health hosts meeting to discuss medical errors, legal liability

SANAA, June 21 (YPA) – The Ministry of Public Health and Population in Sanaa held on Wednesday an extensive meeting to discuss medical errors, legal responsibility for medical practices, and professional ethics.

During the meeting, the head of the investigation committee of the Supreme Medical Council, Dr. Khaled Sweilem, pointed out that complaints of medical errors for the year 2022 amounted to about 200, with 104 complaints related to the surgical specialty.

In turn, the Head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Ahmed Al-Mutawakel, argued for raising cooperation between the judiciary and the Medical Council, as well as community confidence in the Yemeni doctor who withstood despite the conditions of war and siege.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Abdel Salam Hashwal, said that the parliament would study enacting laws that protect the patient and the doctor and remove confusion in cases of medical errors.

For his part, Minister of Public Health, Dr. Taha Al-Mutawakel, noted that transparency in cases of medical errors is required and that a breach of medical procedures leads to a medical error.

The health ministry stressed that the Saudi-led coalition is responsible to a certain degree for the file of medical errors by preventing medical equipment and supplies from entering Yemen.

In the meeting, the Minister of Justice, Judge Nabil Al-Azzani, stated that the Medical Council has judicial powers to adjudicate cases of medical errors.

YPA