Heads of 3 hospitals in Sofia suspended over death of 3-year-old child

The directors of the three hospitals in Sofia were suspended pending the outcome of an investigation into the death of a three-year-old boy. This happened after the intervention of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who demanded that they be removed from work by the end of the investigation. Following the Prime Minister's order, Health Minister Kiril Ananiev on November 20 convened a meeting at the Ministry of Health with the directors of Pirogov emergency hospital, Pediatric Hospital and Lozenets Hospital. The doctor who admitted the child to the pediatrics, Dr Elena Georgieva, was also suspended.

The head of the Pediatric Hospital, Dr Dimitar Rusinov, confirmed to reporters that he had been suspended, along with the head of Pirogov Emergency Hospital, Professor Assen Baltov and the head of Lozenets Hospital, Professor Lyubomir Spassov.

After the meeting, the director of Lozenets Hospital did not appear to reporters waiting at the entrance.

Prof. Dr. Dimitar Rusinov, Director of Pediatrics: The three directors of the hospitals have been suspended temporarily pending the completion of the investigative actions, and the same measure will be applied to Dr. Georgieva. We will also fully assist with the necessary documentation.

Prof. Assen Baltov, Director of Pirogov emergency hospital: We will fully cooperate with the investigation.

On November 15, Minister of Health, Kiril Ananiev, ordered urgent checks into the three hospital over the dealth of the 3 year old child. The parents of the child earlier told media that they sought help in these three hospitals - first in the Pediatric, then in Lozentes because they were worried about a rash the boy had. Initially, they were refered for home treatment, but then the child’s condition worsened.

The child was taken to Pirogov emergency hospital in a serious condition. Despite the efforts of the medical specialists, the boy died.

Speaking to the BNT breakfast show on November 20, the head of the First Children's Ward of the Pediatric hospital, Prof. Atanas Mangurov, said that the autopsy showed pneumonia in both lungs and tracheitis and that was probably a fast developing infection. Other cases of such a finding are plague, anthrax and flu, he added.

Assoc. Prof. Atanas Mangurov: The child was seen the previous day by his GP, who prescribed him a treatment for a lung bacterial infection. He did not refer him to a hospital because the child was clearly not in a condition which required hospitalization. The next day, the parents went to the children's hospital without a referral from the GP. Children with various illnesses were treated at this hospital and they had to wait. They decided they couldn't wait and went to Lozenets Hospital. The child was examined and was given very little additional medicines to the treatment prescribed by the GP the night before. The doctors at that hospital also decided that hospitalization was not necessary, because the child’s condition very likely did not need hospitalization.
The parents then returned the child to the children's hospital, where the medics made an X-ray picture of his lungs. This picture also did not show anything that needed hospital treatment, i.e. the child could be sent for home treatment. Just 4 hours later, a dramatic deterioration occurred in the child's condition and the second X-ray image shows very severe changes.