Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — A WhatsApp group has criticized the Northern Border University for recruiting an Egyptian doctor accused of medical negligence in his hometown of Fayoum.

Dr. Mufdi Al-Sharari, supervisor of public relations and information at the university, said the Egyptian was recruited as a resident doctor for the health center in Rafha four years ago considering his educational qualifications and experience.

“We checked all his documents and his experience in the field and nobody made any observations against him at the moment to stop his recruitment,” he said, adding that all his documents were attested by Egyptian authorities as well as the Saudi Embassy and the cultural attaché.

Al-Sharari said the doctor also used to submit letters from the Egyptian authorities every year indicating they had no objection in renewing his work contract. “This clearly shows that there is no case against him that prevented him from traveling abroad,” he explained.

Referring to the video clip accusing the doctor of medical negligence, Al-Sharari said: “It seems it is related to an old case that occurred about six years ago and it has been presented to the public prosecutor as well as to the legal medical committee in Egypt to take punitive action.”

The legal medical report issued by the committee proved that the doctor was not responsible for the medical error, which has been brought back in the spotlight by the group.

Dr. Amal Hashim, undersecretary for health in Fayoum, said the case, which was projected in the video, did not occur in Fayoum.

“We have nothing to do with that video clip. The doctor mentioned in the video worked in the hospital several years ago. We don’t know anything about him,” she added.

The medical negligence attributed to the doctor took place in 1433H at a hospital in Fayoum. The error occurred while a group of doctors was removing gauze from the abdomen of a patient. But social media activists have accused the doctor of committing medical negligence while carrying out a surgical operation.

We checked all his documents and his experience in the field, and nobody made any observations against him at the moment to stop his recruitment.