Son ‘killed by neglect’ in Bali claim family
THE family of a traveller 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, 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 he said that 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 death ‘from complications of medical treatment following a fall’.
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.
“He was failed over there and now he has been failed here. The coroner has made a mistake.
“He entrusted his life to medical staff and they let him down. We thought there would be no question of gross neglect but it wasn’t mentioned in the conclusion.”
Ms Mutch told the court she had carefully considered the unlawful killing verdict but the required proof was ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.
Pathologist Doctor Abdul Ganjifrockwala, who carried out a second post mortem following one in Indonesia, had said only ‘on the balance of probability’ Andrew had died from septicaemia, caused from the infected IV site on his arm.
Stephen had told the inquest: “With the extent of malpractice and neglect we feel it is unlawful killing.
“We want to make people aware of travelling abroad and what can actually happen.”
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 letting a tractor past and fell down a five metre ravine.
After discharge from Siloam he went to the Royal Bali Hospital complaining of vomiting, chest pains, a swollen stomach and fever.
But he was sent back home and as he deteriorated his girlfriend rang back, only to be told no beds were available.
He died on December 3 last year. No evidence from either hospital in Bali was given at the inquest.
His girlfriend, who is Balinese and a neighbour had tried to get help but a doctor came to find he had died.
Stephen said: “He went (to Bali) twice a year for one or two months. He was very popular and knew everyone on the island. Everyone loved him.”