Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Patients Accuse Doctor of Non-Professionalism

November 29, 2007

Patients accuse proctologist Lali Kitesashvili, a doctor at the Gurjaani District Hospital, of non-professionalism. Several of them demand the doctor to reimburse them for their expenses for their repeated operations and are about to bring a suit to the court against her. The victimized people requested the Regulation Agency for Medical Activities within the Georgian Ministry of Health to revoke the doctor’s license of Kitesashvili.

Maia Jimukhadze, a resident of the village of Vejini in the Gurjaani district, requested medical assistance from the district hospital a year ago.

“Doctor Kitesashvili told me after having examined me that I needed to be operated on immediately. My husband told her that he would like to take me to Tbilisi hospital for the operation, but the doctor said that my health was in danger and there was a possibility I could die on our way to Tbilisi hospital. I had terrible pains and got afraid. Thus I was operated on the same day. The next day I felt bad; but on the third day I got unconscious. My health worsened and my family members insisted on taking me to Tbilisi. Finally I was taken to Tbilisi Ghudushauri Hospital by ambulance. I was on a respirator for twelve days. The doctors in Tbilisi hospital considered my condition critical and were uncertain whether I would survive. I spent two months in the hospital. We sold everything valuable to pay the treatment bills,” said Jimukhadze. Doctor Lali Kitesashvili carried the operation out in unhygienic conditions, without anesthetics and it resulted into a deterioration of her health.

Maia Jimukhadze has been demanding the doctor to reimburse her for the 4 500 lari she has spent on her treatment in Tbilisi Hospital for one year already.

Proctologist Jimukhadze denies the accusations made against her and stated that she is not guilty of  worsening the health conditions of the patient. “Maia Jimukhadze had to be operated on immediately. I advised her relatives to take her to the Tbilisi hospital but they said they had not enough money to pay the treatment expenses in the capital and I operated her.”

“She got worse on the next day and relatives visited her only two days later; so I have no fault in it. The relatives took her to Tbilisi when they visited the patient. I am the only proctologist in the Kakheti Region and I received my certificate from the same place where the doctors from Tbilisi received theirs. How dare they revoke my license?” said Kitesashvili.

Jimukhadze’s relatives categorically deny the doctor’s accusations made against them. “It is nonsense that we did not pay attention to the sick woman. I was at the hospital all the time. I left her only when the doctors sent me for some medicines,” said Muradi, the husband of the woman, who also added that the hospital administration warned them several times against bringing a suit to the court.

Other patients also accuse doctor Kitesashvili for poor professionalism. One of them claimed that the doctor had operated on him on the same day as his consultation. “She requested 600 lari for the operation but I said I could not afford that. Then she asked if any of my relatives had medical insurance and I produced the insurance policy of my mother-in-law. She recorded her name as my family member and wrote in the document that I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Finally I paid her 300 lari as she demanded. However, after the operation I also felt worse and it later was discovered that she damaged several organs and I need immediate another operation at the Proctologic Center in Tbilisi, but I cannot afford it. Thus I demanded Kitesashvili to reimburse the expenses for my operation in the center; but she refused and threatened me. I am really afraid of her,” said one of the victims who prefers to keep her name anonymous. Nevertheless, she also signed the written petition against doctor Kitesashvili.
Lali Kitesashvili denies the second accusation as well. “Let them bring a suit against me and if the court finds me guilty I will pay the fine,” said Kitesashvili.

The administration of the Gurjaani District Hospital does not want to make comments on the dispute between the doctor and the patients.

The patients suppose that the doctor has made a financial deal with the administration. The victims demand the Regulation Agency for Medical Activities to investigate the situation at Gurjaani Hospital and to revoke the license of Lali Kitesashvili.

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti


News