Tourist ‘was killed by neglect’ claims family
THE family of a tourist told an inquest how they believe he was killed by shocking neglect at a private hospital in the tropical paradise of Bali.
Andrew Rowson, 49, from Gatley, Stockport, was a regular visitor to the Indonesian island.
He suffered a fall while out running and was treated for nearly two weeks before being discharged. He died at his apartment from septicaemia three days later.
An inquest into his death heard he was taken to the Siloam Hospital, in Kuta, where his treatment ‘went beyond neglect.’
His brother Stephen, 50, told the hearing that Andrew’s IV drip got infected but claimed staff refused to take it out. Andrew removed it himself only for nurses to put it back in the same location, cleaned only with cold sore cream.
It was said the drip was left empty for 24 hours, making blood fill the line, no antibiotics were given to him during the 12-day hospital stay and the tablets he was administered went down from 10 to two. When asked why, staff admitted it was a public holiday so they had no supplies.
Andrew had been admitted with a broken shoulder and ribs and was left for days without a sling until his friend made one out of a bedsheet.
His family asked South Manchester senior coroner Alison Mutch to rule Andrew was unlawfully killed, but were left devastated when she returned a narrative conclusion of just a death ‘from complications of medical treatment following a fall.’
Ms Mutch told the court she had carefully considered the unlawful killing verdict but the required proof was ‘beyond reasonable doubt.’
Speaking after the inquest Stephen, from Sharston, Andrew’s mum Barbara, 72, and sister-inlaw Geraldine, 56, said they had been ‘slapped in the face’ and left with no closure. Stephen said: “It is unbelievable. We have worked for six months to get justice for Andrew but have none.”
Andrew, who worked as a driver, had been a regular visitor to the island and a member of running club Bali Hash House Harriers. He had been planning a route through the jungle with friends when he slipped and fell down a ravine.