The Foundation for the Defense of Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS) calls on the Ministry of Health to urgently send the Control Corps to the Sinaia City Hospital, after the death of patient Claudia Georgiana Secăreanu. She underwent surgery at the hospital and was subsequently transferred to Fundeni Hospital, where doctors found a diagnosis of sepsis and severe liver damage - problems that were not identified or properly treated by the Sinaia City Hospital.
FACIAS calls for immediate verification of the medical and administrative circumstances that led to the loss of her life, the identification of those responsible and the imposition of the harshest sanctions against them. The case at the Sinaia City Hospital confirms, once again, the need for urgent reform of the mechanism for resolving cases of medical malpractice so that abuses do not go unpunished and are not repeated.
According to the patient's husband, sent to FACIAS representatives, Claudia Georgiana Secăreanu, aged 34, went alone to the Sinaia City Hospital, where she was admitted on September 24, 2025 for a cholecystectomy performed by doctor Severius Bărbuță. During the first week, the family was informed that the evolution was favorable, although the patient continued to experience persistent pain. After almost three weeks, she was discharged as "in good health" but with postoperative pain. On discharge, the patient was left with an abdominal drainage tube in place, covered only with a bandage.
At the follow-up check, Claudia Georgiana Secăreanu's condition continued to be worrying. The surgeon told her that a transfer to Bucharest might be necessary, but postponed the decision. Later, in the face of persistent pain, he admitted that the hospital did not have the necessary investigations and recommended referral to a higher level unit.
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, Claudia Georgiana Secăreanu arrived in Bucharest and was admitted to Fundeni Hospital. The next day, Thursday, October 23, at 16:20, she entered the operating room, where she remained for several hours. The husband reported that on that day his wife's visible condition was already extremely serious, describing that "she was yellow from head to toe, including her nails". During surgery, the doctors informed the family that the situation was much worse than anticipated, stating that "70% of her liver was a pus bag".
After the operation, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit, where her family was informed that every effort was being made to save her life. In the meantime, she suffered a stroke which further aggravated her general condition. Despite the care she received, Claudia Georgiana Secăreanu died on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at Fundeni Hospital.
Data obtained by FACIAS from the Public Health Department of Prahova, the institution to which the Sinaia City Hospital belongs, show that between 2020-2024, 30 complaints were filed regarding possible malpractice cases at county level. Only in three cases a decision was issued, the rest of the files were closed as incomplete or closed due to non-payment of the medical expert's fee. The only decision finding malpractice, issued in 2024, has been challenged in court and remains unresolved.
According to the FACIAS analysis, between 2023-2024, approximately 400 complaints were filed nationwide, but only 15 (about 5%) were validated by malpractice commissions, all of which were subsequently challenged in court.
FACIAS, together with patients' associations in Romania, calls on the Ministry of Health to urgently initiate a project to amend the procedure for resolving malpractice complaints, so that patients and their families have access to a clear, accessible and efficient procedure, and so that medical responsibility is no longer bogged down in bureaucracy and endless processes.