By Amra Vrabac
In Sarajevo Canton, there have been four official deaths from coronavirus, and the KS Prosecutor's Office has opened cases regarding two of them due to circumstances and failures of the health system that did not adequately treat these patients.
One of these two patients, doctor Šefik Pašagić, was buried without an autopsy.
The order for the autopsy of 52-year-old Advija Kanlić, to whom the health system did not provide adequate assistance, nor was she tested for coronavirus despite having all the symptoms, and the virus was confirmed only after her death, remained a dead letter.
The KS Prosecutor's Office confirmed to Patria that the autopsy order was issued on March 25, and forensic expert Hamza Žujo informed the KS Prosecutor's Office that he did not have the conditions to perform an autopsy on the patient who died from coronavirus. Officially, he did not refuse to perform the autopsy, but unofficially, he will not do it. The family of the deceased Advija, her daughter and son, called on all authorities to get involved and enable the autopsy of their mother. Advija Kanlić died in front of the Ilidža Health Center after a multi-day struggle with the system that refused to test her for coronavirus.
Another problem that arises is that Sarajevo has the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Forensics at the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo, but an agreement to engage the Institute for performing autopsies for the court has never been officially signed. Such a proposal was even rejected. Autopsies have been performed by forensic experts for years, and in KS there are two of them, and by order, they use the premises of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, even though one of them is not an employee of either the Institute or the Faculty of Medicine!?
A source from the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo reveals to Patria that the Faculty of Medicine is therefore not obliged to provide equipment to pathologists because the order to perform an autopsy is issued to individuals, i.e., forensic experts, and not to an institution. Thus, these forensic experts perform private autopsies in the premises of the Institute of Forensic Medicine and charge for them. If anyone should provide the conditions required by pathologists, it would be the one who engages them, according to the current situation prevailing at the Institute, or rather, the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo.
Although this Institute and the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo, headed by Dean Semra Čavaljuga, have been mentioned several times, there has been no official reaction or stance from the authorities.
The President of the KS Crisis Staff, Aida Pilav, has repeatedly reiterated the position that clear instructions have been given for performing autopsies according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Goran Čerkez from the Crisis Staff of the Federal Ministry of Health stated the same, noting that autopsies of people infected with hepatitis or HIV have been performed, and that the same should be done in the case of COVID-19.
“When handling any patient infected with Covid-19, one should wear an FFP2 mask, a visor, double gloves for safety, a one-piece suit, and a one-piece gown. Therefore, there is no significant difference compared to any other viral disease,” said Čerkez.
Medical chambers hold the same view, but autopsies are not being performed. This directly hinders the work of the judiciary, especially in investigations where the circumstances under which the patient's death occurred are the subject of investigation.
The Association of Pathologists issued a public statement stating that they will not perform autopsies until adequate protective equipment is procured for them.
The Minister of Security of BiH, Fahrudin Radončić, has spoken out on this issue in the past few days, stating that it is unethical, immoral, unprofessional, and a criminal offense.
Radončić stated that this is a monopoly of a group that prevents the judiciary from conducting investigations. He added that pathologists, with such a stance and statements that they lack adequate equipment and are afraid of infection, are causing panic among patients, young doctors, and the public.
He raised the question of why the Institute does not purchase the necessary equipment so that autopsies can begin to be performed.
Komentari (0)
Prijavite se za komentiranje
PrijavaJos nema komentara. Budite prvi!
Minuta
Sve →Iz drugih kategorija
High Representative Not Elected: Germans, French and British Sabotaged Americans, New Attempt at End of June
ČOVIĆ WITHOUT MERCY: How Those Who Brought Ademović to Office Created a Political Hell for Him
Sunny Saturday, quite warm
Tragedy in Albanian resort: Two minors drown
