See also: our battle for Patient Rights Law, justice; notes about cover-up by some medical authorities in Estonia, officials and medical personnel,
criticism by the United Nations regarding the violation of human rights in some Estonian hospitals.
Estonian hospital killed 26-year old Oliver Rõigas to cover up medical
mistakes, starting from wrongly prescribed Metoclopramide complications
In autumn 2009 my 26-year old son Oliver was murdered in Tallinn biggest
hospital NEMC, supervised by Estonian government officials. Since that
it has been covered up by several high level authorities, including that
time Health Minister Hanno Pevkur who became Justice Minister in 2012
and Interior Minister in spring 2014, Health Board leaders of whom some
were related also to KGB during Soviet era, prosecutor Endla Ülviste,
State Prosecutor Norman, ignoring a long list of evidence and facts.
My son was killed to cover up a medical mistake in Tallinn NEMC hospital
where he had signed in due to the complications he had got from
Metoclopramide (Cerucal) drug, that has
horrible neurological side effects as
also reminded by European Medicines Agency warning in June 2013.
Metoclopramide was wrongly administered to Oliver during his visit to
NEMC hospital in Tallinn on September 19, 2009. Oliver got terrible
neurological complications with his eye, face and balance the very next
day - on September 20, 2009 that is also confirmed in written by his
family doctor in his medical files.
When Oliver returned to NEMC hospital on September 24, 2009 the hospital
hided from him and me that the complications he had got were the side
effects of Metoclopramide, that Metoclopramide had been prescribed him
wrongly on September 19, 2009, and he was signed to hospital "to study
what is wrong".
Since the very first evening, September 24, 2009 hospital started to sedate him with the psychotropic drug
Zopitin 7,5 mg daily without his knowledge by nurse, and he was also given daily, without his knowledge, a huge amount -
24 mg daily - Dexamethasone, that the hospital claimed after he perished 3 week later "was needed as precaution to avoid problems with his brain".
The enourmous daily amount of the Dexamethasone dose was 48 times
bigger than what he had been taking before signed to hospital on
September 24, 2009. He had had operation in spring 2009 and was
adminstered the Dexamethasone after that and had decreased the amount to
0,5 mg daily in September 2009 as doctor had aviced and wished to give
it up at all after his 26th birthday on September 12, 2009 as he also
told to doctors on September 19, 2009 according to his medical files
during his visit to NEMC hospital due to the vormitting.
After he perished on October 15, 2009 I learned that vormitting is a
normal side effect when Dexamethasone dose is decreased or given up at
all after long period of using it, as doctors know well. But for some
reason NEMC doctors ignored this when Oliver visited hospital on
September 19, 2009 due to the vormitting and prescribed him wrongly
Metoclopramide instead of advice to keep taking 0,5 mg-1 mg
Dexamethasone.
After he was signed to hospital on September 24, 2009 the daily
treatment with the 24 mg Dexamethasone and 7,5 mg Zopitin at the
hospital that had hided from him that his complications were caused by
Metoclopramide worsened quickly his situation, he got terrible speech
problems already next day on September 25, 2009 as noted also in medical
files and during first week he also developed breathing problems that
got worse daily but the medical treatment was not changed.
Suspecting that something is wrong I decided to switch hospital and
agreed it up with other hospital that offered me a room where I could
stay too that irritated some NEMC doctors who - as it later turned out -
had been close colleagues for decades with the doctor
Anne Perli who had wrongly deeided to start giving Metoclopramide to my son.
On weekend before our planned switch to other hospital, on October 3-4,
2009 Oliver was adminstered without his knowledge also psychotropic drug
Xanax 0,5 mg several times by the order of dr.
Aadu Liivat whom
severeal nurses called psychopath. Liivat, as it later turned out from
medical files, had been also behind the order to sedate Oliver daily
with Zopitin from his first day in hospital, despite dr. Liivat was not
even a treating doctor.
Dr. Liivat became very angry that I had told staff about suspicions that
my son´s medical treatment is probably wrong and he told me I will be
kicked out from hospital and will never see my son again when I do not
obey staff orders. On Sunday, October 4, 2009 he shouted me on corridor
"You will see things will turn against you" that made me so scared that I
informed nursers about it immediately and wrote a letter about it to
dozens of my friends.
Oliver became scared for his life that weekend when also one nurse -
Natalja Meszlikina - told me in front of Oliver there is no need change
hospital and I should just leave hospital and things will go quickly
then with my son.
On next day, Monday October 5, 2009 we learned with Oliver his treating
doctor, head of department Mihkel Leiner had suddenly disappaered to
holiday and Oliver´s both hands were locked to bed, with repeated
threats to me that I will be kicked out of hospital if I do not obey. I
did my best that day to find out who is replacing dr Leiner so we can
switch hospital immediately (we needed documents for that) but that
doctor (Andres Asser) remained out of reach.
By next morning, Tuesday October 6, 2009, the health situation of my son
had became really bad and I asked nurse Irina to finally find a doctor
who knows something about health in general. Dr Ekke Nääb who returned
with Irina then diagnosed immediately that Oliver has got far developed
two side bacterial pneumonia (it turned out to be Streptcoccus) that had
been "treated" with Dexamthasone and psychotropic drugs Zopitin and
Xanax instead of urgently needed antibiotics. Oliver was then taken to
intensive care room at the same department where also dr Liivat went
then quickly.
According to medical files immediately after discovering that head of
department Mihkel Leiner had made a big medical mistake Oliver was
given together with first antibiotics four times big amount - 5 mg each
time - of Haloperidol (that has horrible side effects),
used for "psychotropic disorders, for the people with mental probems!)
without his knowledge, by the order of dr Aadu Liivat or Ekke Nääb or
both.
After that he was given several times
Propofol that according to that drug information cant be given to patient with breathing problems.
Next morning on October 7, 2009 dr Nääb informed me that
Tallinn NEMC hospital had cancelled the transfer to other hospital that
was supposed to take place finally that day. When I arrived Oliver
seemed sleeping and I was unable to take him away by my own. According
to medical files that I was given access only three months later my son
had been sedated with
narcotics Fentanyl without his knowledge before my arrival to hospital that morning.
Next day on October 8, 2009 nurse on duty Nonna Krasnova refused to
sedate Oliver and Oliver wrote me actively to notebook. I asked dr Ekke
Nääb to allow us to go home but dr Nääb told me the documents to go home
will be compiled by next doctor Tiiu Paulus who will come to work on
Monday, October 12, 2009.
Next morning on October 9, 2009 that was Friday Oliver´s situation had
been worsened again and according to medical files he had been sedated
again with Fentanyl after I had left the hospital late on October 8,
2009. I asked doctor Nääb again to sign us home but he refused, saying
he has no time to fulfil necessary documents.
Following weekend me and Oliver were waiting the Monday, hoping to
finally get to home. When I arrived to hospital on Monday October 12,
2009, Oliver was sleeping again and
doctor Tiiu Paulus who had taken
over the duty at intensive care told me we will not be let home, that my
son is now in comatose and he will never woke up and I should leave the
hospital. I refused to leave and two hours later my son woke up in my
arms. It turned out he had been sedated again with narcotics Fentanyl
again (according to medical files).
Dr. Paulus who got very irritated after Oliver woke up then orderd nurse
Granovskaja to stop giving my son these antiobitics he had got until
that time and to start giving him
Penicilline instead and first Penicilline dose was given at noon.
Few hours later Oliver was given by doctor Tiiu Paulus and nurse Oksana
Granovskaja without our knowledge Clophelin two times, 0,5 mg each time -
several times more than normal one time dose according to the drug info
sheet. At around 16 dr Paulus then left hospital.
At 17 that evening nurse Oksana Granovskaja gave Oliver Rõigas
without his knowledge simultanously hearth and blood pressure affecting
drugs for unknown reason - 50 mg Metoprolol, 10 mg Nifediine, 10 mg
Amlodipine and 10 mg Trandate.
Half an hour after that attack by nurse Oksana Granovskaja at
17.30 Oliver Rõigas got irregular breathing, 18.45 his blood pressure
decreased enourmously and he fell into comatose and needed breathing
machine.
Granovskaja also gave another amount of Penicilline and Dexamethasone between 18-19.
Nurse Granovskaja told police in 2011 that she had consulted all drugs
with doctor Tiiu Paulus by phone after Paulus had left at 16 but doctor
Paulus memory has faed and she told police she cant remember such phone
call. Both Granovskaja and Paulus hided from police that they gave
Oliver Clophelin that day and what was given to Oliver Rõigas at 17,
despite all drugs given are listed in medical files they just lied that
only "10 mg Trandate" was given.
After Oliver fell into coma dr Aadu Liivat came to room and wrote "brain dead", despite no tests for that were made.
Next morning on October 13, 2009 dr. Tiiu Paulus ordered nurses to stop
giving Oliver food and any drugs, including against pneumonia. She told
police in 2011 she did not do that decision alone but it is not known
with whom she made that decision.
The EEG done then after my request that noon showed Oliver was alive,
not brain dead but all my pleas to put back food and drugs were ignored.
My peas to put back food and drugs were also ignored by head of
department and first treating treating doctor Mihkel Leiner who had
returned from his holiday.
On October 14, 2009 I told doctors I am going to take my son off anyway
next day. Shortly before midnight I was forced to leave Tallinn NEMC
hospital and few hours later when I called at 5 on October 15, 2009 I
was told Oliver is not alive any more.
Estonian police declined that day from my request to open investigation. Police was supervised by Interior Minister
Marko Pomerants who - as a Socical Minister - had appointed in 2003 his friend
Tonis Allik to head NEMC hospital.
NEMC hospital and Estonian Health Board then hided most facts from the
public. All what had happened was covered up with the claim that the
patient "had developed the situation due to the rapid development" of
other illness and "the complications were the result of that".
I was given the copy of medical files after repeated requests only in
2010 and it was then only that I started to find out what had really
happened to my beloved son Oliver, praised by his friends as someone who
always, since early childhood stood up for justice and was enourmously
loved by his friends for his kind heart.
Criminal investigation was finally launched on spring 2010 but not a
single doctor or nurse involved in 2009 was asked to testify even that
year, in 2010. Testimonies were taken finally in winter 2011 but because
I was not shown them before the criminal case was closed I had no
chance to prove that doctors Mihkel Leiner, Tiiu Paulus, adu Liivat and
Ekke Naab and nurse Oksana Granovskaja had lied to police and I have
evidence to prove it.
After the criminal case was closed by Prosecutor Endla Ülviste in
autumn 2012 I saw from criminal files that the prosecutor had even given
a written order to evaluate the medical treatment only after September
24, 2009, to hide the info that when my son visited NEMC hospital on
September 19, 2009 he was just vormitting but he had to return for
studies on September 24, 2009 because of the horrible complications he
had got from Metoclopramide, prescribed to him by same hospital on September 19, 2009.
In December 2012 Head of Estonian Patient Union PIlle Ilves asked me
whether I agree to take the murder of my son in hospital to European
Human Rights Court.
On May 30, 2014 my lawyer turned to police with the request to reopen
the case and to investigate officials who provided false iformation.
Police, supervised by Interior Minister Hanno Pevkur responded with
decline, stating that same persons have been already investigated
although nobody has ever investigated the falsification of facts by
officials during the criminal case.
I learned only in spring 2014 that the tragedy that lead to the murder
of my son in Tallinn hospital started in September 2009 from the
horrible side effects of Metoclopramide (noted as Cerucal in medical
files).
I express my sincere gratitude to the United Nations and European
Commission Health officials who have taken several serious steps in
recent years, 2013-2014 to highlight the problems in health care, to
increase the patients safety and to force the governments to improve
patients safety and not to cover up medical mistakes.
Each year medical mistakes take so many lives that could be saved.
Anneli Reigas
p.s.
My warm hugs also to friends of mine and Oliver, my colleagues at Agence
France Presse and
my ex colleagues at the Finnish News Agency, United Nations, Head of
Estonian Patients
Association Ms Pille Ilves, and the many ordinary people
for the moral support during these last years when
I had been given a really painful lesson - much more painful than I had
ever experienced as journalist, on what speaking out the truth can
bring, how hard it is to step up against a corrupted system, in still
Soviet style health care, backed also by several top politicians and
legal system aiding such politicans to keep and causing termendous
injustice - not only to me and Oliver but also to unknown number of
other heath care victims whose names we will never know.
I hope that disclosing the tragedy of my
son Oliver will help to save many other lives.
Some useful links:
European Medicines Agency warning about
Metoclopramide (Cerucal):
European Union study about
medical mistakes, June 2014.
Metoclopramide side effects
CONTACT: please use my
Facebook account if you wish to write me,
Phone: 372-55-11910
-------------------------
Follow-up:
I turned to police the very same day on October 15, 2009 asking for permission for independent autopsy but the police called me back few hours later and I was told head of police that had also contacted state prosecutors office and police had refused to give me such a right and in case I complain on what happened in hospital I should contact the health officials at Social Ministry (that also supervises the very same hospital). The health surveillance official I then called was said to be not at the office and not even in town. Later the same doctor-official Peeter Mardna, long time communist who also run hospital for Soviet elite in Tallinn for years arranged me massive harrassment campaign for disclosing what had happened in the hospital and violated also severely the medical surveillance legislation.
On October 16, 2009 the autopsy was performed at the same hospital that had also rejected my request to perform it in another hospital or at least by some doctor in other hospital. First words of the female doctor who did it and then called me back were: It is always good when I can tell someone in case of such a young person that I found a big reason that caused the death but in case of your son I cant say that, I didnt found such reason. I then asked her was there tumor in brain as we were claimed to be all time. She replied: no, there was no tumor in brain, but I found cerebral hemorrhage.
After that my contact with her was cut for weeks and I didnt get reply even to my emails and when I later managed to contact her again by phone she claimed there were "technical computer problems in all hospital for long" etc.
The initial reason of death was changed after the scandal became public.
I would have made the horrible and severly inhuman treatment of my son public in similar way also in case he had had the brain really full of tumor and no other medical mistakes performed and listed above. Animals could have more heart to someone in such a vulnerable situation than many of those people we faced there.
The amount of harrassment I had to experience telling nothing else but truth of what we had faced at the hospital exceeded anything I could imagine. Several people, including many from the board of Estonian doctors union - most of them the ex-communists whom this kind of behaviour seems to have been a rule - did their best to harrass me and I had been publicly also humilated by some health officials who had signed the official summary with - as I managed to prove also - includes many lies and falsifications of what happened.
The attempts to silence me down however failed and the investigation by prosecution office was finally launched in spring 2010, 5 months after our horrific experiences in that hospital. The harrassment has continued more or less also during the criminal investigation and also included very hard experience of article made up of lies and falsifications by someone called Kärt Blumberg whom the same state official Mardna and also Tallinn doctors union head Toomas Kariis honored with 10 000 kroons award in autumn 2010 for her "outstanding input" in what I call is the most discusting attempt to humilate someone who experience what me and my son did.
The list of torture and wrongdoing episodes is much longer than noted here. There are many normal doctors and nurses in Estonia, but it is matter of gambling, you never know in hands of whom you will end up. After the brutal treatment of my son in Tallinn biggest hospital became public in autumn 2009 hundreds of people revealed in newspaper sites their own inhuman experiences with themselves or their love-ones in Estonian, mostly Tallinn hospitals where most of leading staff has got their education and moral or lack of it from Soviet era when human life and need for dignity and respect to all patients, meant nothing.
According to the two studies compiled by Estonian Justice Ministry and revealed in September 2009 and June 2010 Estonian doctors are the most corrupted professionals in that country. Regardless of that, only very few corrputed doctors have ever faced courtroom in Estonia. One of such corrupted doctors who was also sentenced in court was even promoted to lead a hospital branch of the same hospital where me son perished - by the leaders of the hospital who had to take the sentenced criminal off from supervisory job only in spring 2011 when it all became public.
In summer 2010 United Nations pointed out in its report to several misdoings in medical institutions in Tallinn. Since the Soviet era hospitals in Estonia have been being above the law and as also how case indicated the corruption in Estonian medical is much wider and goes even far behind the medical system, being also silently tolerated by some high rank politicians, and some law officials.
In summer 2011 I finally got some ideas why criminal investigation was not launched already in autumn 2009 when I revealed the brutal abuse and else what had happened in hospital and why police had rejected my request on the day of death of my son to allow his body and cause of death to be investigated in other hospital or at least by independent doctors from other hospital. It turned out the head of that hospital (who is not a doctor) where my son perished was pushed to that job few years ago by that time Social Minister who in autumn 2009 when I asked police for help was - Minister of Interior!!!
Among the people who contacted me in autumn 2009 was also Estonia MP who had witnessed himself a brutal treatment and torture of his own father in Tallinn hospital and proposed me to make some joint efforts to change the inhuman system of patients treatment in Estonia that even lacks the law of Patients Rights. Another MP and ex-Minister of Interior who had faced inhuman treatment of his wife in same Tallinn hospitals and made it in 2006, three years before us, wishing to change something for better but two months later his heart failed.
I have been contacted also by several doctors, one well known doctor even from the very same hospital who wrote me the inhuman treatment of hospitals and dangerous injections and overdoses often made upon the decisions of nurses themselves are the biggest problems in Estonian hospitals.
I was also contacted in autumn 2009 immediately by Ester Pruuden, of Estonian Nurses Association who wrote me a compassionate letter and expressed her sincere belief the Soviet era mentality and often very inhuman treatment Estonia hospitals should be changed, adding that our case is unfortunately far not a seldom case like that.
In spring 2010 the Estonian Patients Advocacy Association released an overview about the hospital abuses that cited most of what we had faced had been reported also by many other patients and their relatives. In summer 2010 the head of the patients union Pille Ilves took a also strong stand against the ongoing harrassment of myself after she had attended a meeting where the 72 year old state medical supervisor official had spread again completely intrue lies on me. The result: government coalition punished the Estonian Patients Advocacy Association cutting their budget for 2012 in state budget by over half and the in 2012 patients union (www.epey.ee) can survive in 2012 only thanks to financial help from the George Soros financed international institute dealing with human rights.
When I revealed in November 2009 what had happened in hospital (my friends and colleagues knew it long before) I didnt imagine the scale of harassment and threats I am going to face. But I do not regret for a moment revealing it and my suffering has really been nothing compared to my what my 26 year old son Oliver who was adored for his friends for always helping others had to face.
If it helps to save at least some lives, to change something for better, revealing it has been worth it.
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