KUWAIT: Health
Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah announced yesterday the formation of a
neutral committee to investigate the death of a child at a dental clinic in
Fahaheel. Speaking to Al-Anbaa newspaper, Sheikh Basel said that a neutral
committee was formed of professors at the Faculty of Dentistry at Kuwait
University to investigate the circumstances of the death of Abdulaziz
Al-Rashidi, stressing that the result of the investigation will be announced immediately.

Sheikh Basel
confirmed coordination with Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah
to prevent the doctor who caused the incident from traveling. The doctor was
suspended from work until investigations are completed, he added. He stressed
that the ministry adopts a policy of zero tolerance when it came to the safety
of the citizens and residents, and allows no error or negligence by staffers of
health facilities. The ministry will take the necessary legal measures in case
if there was any medical error behind Rashidi's death, he said.

The death of the
child occurred several days ago at the dental clinic in Fahaheel medical
center. Head of Ahmadi Oral Health Program Dr Habbaba Al-Mazidi extended her
condolences to the family of Rashidi. "We do not know the real cause of
death at the moment, as we are waiting for the results of the investigation
being conducted by the technical committee and the coroner's report," she
said. Mazidi said the child's treatment was according to technical protocols,
bearing in mind that Rashidi was in the fourth session of treatment, and was
given local anesthetic previously without complications. She added the
anesthetic is approved and is given to thousands of patients daily.

By Meshaal
Al-Enezi