Regulations in the Kingdom aimed at detecting and punishing erring medical establishments and doctors are not to scare away medical professionals but to guarantee justice to both patients and doctors, Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Issa said at a two-day conference on medical mistakes from the Perspective of Shariah on Wednesday.
The minister was discussing the topic of the responsibility of Shariah in dealing with the medical mistakes in a conference organized by Taibah University in Madinah on Tuesday.
The conference discussed more than 50 papers covering Shariah’s take on medical mistakes, medical awareness and other related topics.
Like in any other human pursuit, workers in the medical profession are accountable for any mistake they make and hence should be monitored according to the basic principle of Islamic law that stresses on the protection of human life, the minister said in his speech.
“The patient is positioned at the weaker side in the dealings between a doctor or medical establishment and errors are likely in any human interactions,” the minister pointed out while stressing the need for administrative and legal regulations to handle medical errors.
When cases arise, a medical commission headed by a judge appointed by the Justice Ministry receives complaints from patients who are victims of medical errors.
“The commission’s activities boost patients’ confidence in the medical profession,” said the minister, adding that the concerned laws are designed to guarantee maximum justice.
By YOUSUF MUHAMMAD
ARAB NEWS