Legal team of UAE doctor accused of child death won't get medical files

Seha has refused to disclose key medical files requested by the defence team of South African doctor Cyril Karabus, who is accused of the manslaughter of a three-year-old cancer patient.

ABU DHABI // Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) has refused to disclose key medical files requested by a South African doctor accused of manslaughter over the death of a three-year-old cancer patient.
The authority says releasing the original hospital files relating to the Yemeni girl's death in October 2002 would contradict their policy. The defence team of the paediatric oncologist Cyril Karabus say the files are vital to proving his innocence, as the case files held by the prosecution are blank during the dates the girl received treatment.
At the last hearing in the Criminal Court on December 6, Chief Justice Idris bin Mansour ordered the public prosecution to request the original files from Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.
Yesterday, the professor's lawyer, Mohamed Al Sawan, insisted the files were essential to his case.
"The hospital's policy cannot stand in the way of people's rights," he said.
The judge agreed that the original files were needed and ordered the public prosecution to make another attempt to obtain them.
"If [Seha] refuse again, then we'll see," he said. He adjourned the case until December 25 to give time to retrieve the files.
Professor Karabus, who is in his seventies, was released from jail after posting Dh100,000 bail. His legal team warns that delays in the trial are taking a toll on his health.
"We've been waiting for two months now, the defendant is now using a walking cane," his lawyer complained in court.
Prof Karabus denies causing the patient's death by failing to give her a blood transfusion. He is accused of having falsified a report to hide the mistake and make it appear that a transfusion took place.