Patient’s Daughter Sues Doctor

In Zugdidi the number of the people with cancer has increased lately.  Particularly great is the number of women with breast cancer.  This particular story began in 2000 and ended tragically in August 2006.

In August 2000 Ether Makatsaria was operated on in Kutaisi Oncological Center after having been diagnosed with third-stage liver cancer.  Following the operation, Ether Makatsaria petitioned the Head of Zugdidi Oncological Service, Nona Fifia.  The ill woman requested to be classified as a disabled person so that she could receive a pension. Nearly six years passed without receiving disability, and finally on August 3, 2006, Ms. Makatsaria passed away.

The daughter of Ms. Makatsaria, Lika Lukava, requested an investigation of her mother’s case, specifically, why the pension was not granted.  Ms. Lukava also accused the doctor of extorting money.  She said that “from 2000 to 2005, Dr. Fifia examined my mother’s records…”  Ms. Lukava continued, “The problem began when the doctor began examining [my mother’s] case.”  She stated that the Oncologist demanded 20 lari for every visit.  Ms. Makatsaria’s daughter claims that Dr. Fifia finally demanded a hundred US dollars, which they could not pay.  Subsequently, Dr. Fifia denied Ms. Makatsaria’s request for disability.

Ms. Lukava says that Dr. Fifia submitted documents to the respective [disability] commission on July 12, 2006.  On August 3, Ms. Makatsaria passed away…. Sadly, Ms. Makatsaria experienced severe pain near her death, as she was not prescribed any pain killers.

In an interview, Dr. Fifia categorically denied the charges of Ms. Makatsaria’s family. He also said that the power to prescribe pain killers rests not with him but with the surgical department (i.e. Special Operations Department).

Ms. Makatsaria’s daughter is now trying to draw attention to her family’s injustice.  She has already brought this information to the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center, and she will soon meet the Public Defender’s Coordinator in Samegrelo.

Nato Berulava,Zugdidi