Gynecologist ordered to pay €2.5 million in landmark medical negligence case

In a recent court ruling on a case of medical negligence, a gynecologist in Cyprus has been ordered to pay a substantial sum of €2.5 million. The Nicosia District Court issued this decision, finding that the gynecologist's actions and omissions had resulted in cerebral palsy for a newborn baby girl. The verdict mandates the payment of 2.5 million euros in damages, along with interest and attorney's fees.

The incident occurred on March 6, 2011, when the baby girl was born. According to the child's parents, on the day of birth, the doctor administered oxytocin (Syntocinon), a combination of drugs, and subsequently ruptured the follicle artificially. The mother, throughout the procedure, experienced dizziness and was in a hypnotic state with no interaction with her surroundings.

Testimonies presented in court revealed that the baby was born in distress, not crying, and had a dark complexion. Within minutes, a pediatrician arrived, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administered an antidote, and managed to restore the baby's heartbeat and color.

Lawyer Yannos Georgiades, who represented the case alongside Doria Varosiotou, emphasized that expert medical witnesses testified that there was no medical necessity to administer oxytocin to the mother, as the delivery was progressing smoothly. In fact, the oxytocin led to increased uterine contractions, reducing blood supply to the baby and causing intrauterine hypoxia. The cocktail of drugs given before birth contributed to the baby's brain damage.

Georgiades further highlighted that crucial evidence regarding the timing of the hypoxia, such as the cardiotocogram, was never presented, with the gynecologist claiming it was lost. The successful resuscitation by the pediatrician saved the child's life, but she now suffers from severe cerebral, mental, and motor disabilities due to intrauterine hypoxia.

On the day following the birth, the parents sought treatment at Makarios Hospital and learned the devastating truth about their child's condition, which they claimed could have been prevented with a timely cesarean section.

The court noted the gynecologist's attempts to avoid responsibility and concluded that medical negligence was evident. The irreversible condition of the child resulted from the gynecologist's negligent acts. As a result, the court awarded approximately 2.5 million euros in general and special damages, along with interest.

The family of the affected child hopes that this judgment will contribute to improving the quality of medical care and patient safety. Judge Stella Christodoulides Mencius presided over the case.