Skopje, 20 January 2025 (MIA) — The Ministry of Health-appointed experts will investigate if there were any medical errors leading to the death of the 9-year-old who died Jan. 14 of cardiac arrest after being hospitalized with symptoms of coughing, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and trouble sleeping the previous night, ministry sources told MIA.

Medical experts will also be investigating the death of the newborn twins who died Jan. 16 in Prilep, the sources said.

After conducting an inspection of the facilities in Sveti Nikole, Shtip and Skopje where the 9-year-old was given medical treatment, the State Sanitary and Health Inspectorate did not find any signs of medical negligence or malpractice. The inspection of the Prilep hospital that provided medical care to the newborn twins is under way. 

According to a State Sanitary and Health Inspectorate report, the 9-year-old was examined by a GP in Sveti Nikole and a doctor at the Shtip Hospital before being taken to the University Clinic for Children's Diseases in Skopje.

He was admitted in critical condition to the children's clinic on Jan. 14 at 8:25 pm as an emergency case with a diagnosis of somnolence. "At 10:25 pm, his condition deteriorated further toward respiratory and cardiac arrest," the report said.

After suffering a cardiac arrest, and despite extensive attempts at resuscitation, the child could not be brought back. He was pronounced dead at 11:30 pm.

According to media reports, the newborn twins had been born prematurely. They were 17 days old when they died, a few days after being discharged from the hospital's maternity ward. mr/