The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS) has expressed grave concern that two months after the tragic death of Andrei Marius Dragan, a 16-year-old boy, in a hospital bed at the Emergency Hospital of Targu Jiu, no institution has taken concrete measures to sanction those responsible. On Friday, January 10, the president of the Romanian College of Doctors, Cătălina Poiană, arrived in Târgu Jiu for talks with the hospital management, heads of wards and local authorities, but no definitive action has been taken. The absence of responsibility being taken by any party has exacerbated the suffering of the family and led to public outrage. In this context, FACIAS is demanding justice for Andrei and has filed a criminal complaint to bring those responsible to justice.
This case, which was the subject of widespread national dismay, exposed the negligence and lack of responsibility exhibited by certain medical professionals. Although it was possible to save Andrei's life through emergency surgery, doctor Valentin Neagu refused to operate, citing a lack of paediatric skills. Furthermore, in a statement to the press, he asserted that his actions were in accordance with procedural guidelines and that he had no regrets.
On Friday, 10th January, the president of the Romanian College of Physicians, Cătălina Poiană, following a visit to the Emergency Hospital in Târgu Jiu, asserted that "amending the malpractice legislation is a priority" and that there are immediate solutions, such as the utilisation of telemedicine, to prevent such tragedies. It was also emphasised that current legislation permits general surgeons to intervene in emergency cases. Notwithstanding these allegations, the Gorj College of Doctors is still investigating the case, with the disciplinary committee having a deadline of six months from the beginning of the investigation to complete its work.
On the evening of 11 November 2024, Andrei was admitted to the hospital with severe symptoms, having been diagnosed with pneumoperitoneum, a condition that required immediate surgical intervention to save his life (FACIAS, 2024). However, due to the on-call doctor's refusal to operate, the boy was transferred to a hospital in Craiova. The ambulance did not arrive until three hours later, during which time the patient's condition deteriorated dramatically, culminating in cardiorespiratory arrest. Despite resuscitation efforts, the teenager's life could not be saved. The cause of death was recorded as respiratory failure and peritonitis.
FACIAS expresses its concern that, despite the revelations made by Andrei's case, no definitive measures have been implemented to avert such occurrences. Consequently, two months following the unfortunate demise of Andrei, the authorities' response is deemed to be egregiously insubstantial. The physician Valentin Neagu was levied with a fine amounting to 3,000 lei, while the on-call physician Liliana Puiu Crăciun was fined 1,500 lei for inadequacies in the documentation of the patient's records.
Până în acest moment, Colegiul Medicilor nu a luat nicio decizie, perpetuând un sistem în care cadrele medicale își asumă să decidă între viață și moarte fără a suporta consecințele unor greșeli fatale. De asemenea, nu există un dosar penal deschis împotriva medicilor implicați, în ciuda gravității faptelor care au dus la moartea unui adolescent de 16 ani. În prezent, ambii medici continuă să practice fără nicio suspendare sau alte repercusiuni reale.
Faced with this injustice, FACIAS submitted a formal request to the Public Prosecutor's Office of the High Court of Cassation and Justice, requesting that the case be allocated to their jurisdiction and that a comprehensive investigation be conducted. The complaint filed by FACIAS was duly registered under no. 1142/11.12.2024 at the Public Prosecutor's Office of the High Court of Cassation and Justice and was subsequently remanded to the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Targu Jiu District Court for further action.
FACIAS holds the conviction that, within a state that asserts its commitment to respecting citizens' rights, the demise of a child cannot be attributed to a physician's apprehension of exceeding their authority in a crisis.The right to life is considered fundamental and non-negotiable.
FACIAS will closely monitor the investigation in this case, with the objective of ensuring that those responsible for Andrei's death are held accountable, and that the medical system accepts its share of responsibility and implements the necessary changes. FACIAS is calling for drastic measures to reform the health system so that tragedies like Andrei's can be prevented from ever occurring again. It is unacceptable that the authorities have remained indifferent to such a tragedy. FACIAS calls on the authorities to cease delaying decisions and ensure that justice prevails.