The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS) has published the conclusions of the disciplinary investigation report of the County Emergency Hospital of Targu Jiu. This report confirms a chain of abuses, omissions, delays and carelessness. These contributed to the tragic death of 16-year-old Drăgan Marius Andrei. Official documents state that emergency surgery followed by a prompt transfer could have saved Andrei's life. FACIAS strongly criticises the delay in the criminal investigation. It is unacceptable that it took more than two weeks for the results of the toxicology test to be released, even though it had been finalised.
The official report states that surgeon Valentin Neagu examined the patient at around 8.15pm and decided against operating, opting for transfer to Craiova. In the explanatory note, he stated: "I lack the necessary paediatric surgical skills to operate on a 16-year-old child [...] I have concluded that this case is beyond my personal and hospital competence and, for the patient's own good, he requires transfer to the Children's Surgery Department in Craiova."
The Disciplinary Commission ruled that the surgeon failed to inform the higher hierarchical line in a timely manner. The surgeon Neagu Valentin Constantin had the obligation to notify the coordinator of the on-call line, Dr. Soare Claudiu Gabriel. This notification was made late, at around 22:20, after the patient was already intubated with GCS 3. The committee is clear: in cases of imminent danger, doctors have a duty to act. They are protected by law if they save a patient's life in situations of force majeure or a life-threatening emergency, even if their competence is exceeded.
The abuses continued. Dr. Puiu Crăciun Liliana Voichița, the doctor on duty at the UPU, stated: "I instructed the SAJ Gorj dispatch to rescue with a doctor, but they refused to call a doctor from home." He later stated that "I was not asked to go with the ambulance to accompany the patient." The transfer was postponed due to a lack of a full crew. Nurse Ionela Loredana Hîrleceanu confirmed that the request for Craiova was sent and that they had been waiting for a response, but the patient's condition was quickly deteriorating.
The ambulance with a doctor from Craiova arrived after three hours. The report clearly states that the total time needed for the critical patient from Târgu Jiu to reach Craiova is about one hour and 40 minutes to one hour and 45 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.
The report clearly shows that Târgu Jiu County Hospital "does not have an operational procedure regarding the exceeding of competences in emergency situations". Dr. Soare Gabriel Claudiu Gabriel Soare, member of the Medical Council, has confirmed this.
The report also highlights the cardiologist on duty, Dr. Morenci Marian, refusing to consult the patient, citing lack of competence in the case of minors. Dr. Huzu Maddy Andreea, head of the UPU, stated: "After the consultation, only a neurology consultation was requested. The cardiologist on duty refused to consult the minor, and the patient's condition deteriorated, requiring a respiratory prosthesis upon return to the UPU."
With all these documented violations, the hospital's management ordered minor sanctions, i.e. salary cuts of ONLY 10% for three months
FACIAS highlights the unacceptable delays in the criminal investigation, which is at a standstill without the official report from the Gorj College of Physicians. The report could not be finalised at first because of the histopathological result, and then because of the delay in the toxicological bulletin from INML. The National Institute of Forensic Medicine "Mina Minovici" confirmed that it received the request from SML Gorj on 26 February 2025. It completed the analysis on 23 April, but the physical collection did not take place until 9 May, more than two weeks later. This interval is unacceptable for a simple transmission of an already completed analysis.
FACIAS believes that there must be consequences for these violations of the law, medical protocols and professional obligations. FACIAS demands justice for Andrei. The criminal investigation must be resolved urgently. Responsibilities must be clarified and legal sanctions applied to all those involved. Only then can we prevent such tragedies from happening again.