Ankara doctor sentenced in medical malpractice case involving disabled child

An Ankara court has sentenced a pediatrician, identified as T. K. D., to 11 months and 7 days in prison and a 6-month suspension from medical practice following a medical malpractice case. The ruling stems from an incident in October 2021 involving 10-year-old Merve Sena Sümer.

Sümer was taken to a private pediatric clinic for a cough complaint, where she received an antibiotic injection. The child suffered a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) and lost consciousness. Her heart reportedly stopped for approximately 35 minutes, leading to oxygen deprivation in the brain. After spending 69 days in intensive care, Sümer was left with a 98 percent disability and is now bedridden.

The court found the doctor failed to meet the required duty of care. The ruling noted that the medical center should have managed the anaphylactic reaction more effectively and organized. Specifically, the court highlighted that the patient was sent to a waiting room instead of being kept under observation following the injection, and that critical information regarding the patient's condition was not fully communicated to emergency services.