Rédaction Africa Links 24 with satarbf
Published on 2024-04-07 18:29:31
A lawsuit of nearly $1.8 million has been filed against a company specializing in medical tourism following the death of a Quebecois mother in Tunisia after bariatric surgery in January 2023, reports TVA Nouvelles.
Melanie Jutras, 41, had decided to do business with Medcare Vacations due to the long waiting times in the public health system, ranging from two to three years.
Bariatric surgery in Tunisia for Mrs. Jutras began at 7 am on January 11, 2023.
However, around 7 pm, she contacted her husband in Quebec, Olivier Larivée, via Messenger, explaining that she was very weak. Her husband then suggested that she ask for the assistance of a caregiver to check her medication, as the contract provided for assistance 24 hours a day.
The next day, since he still had no news from Tunisia or from Medcare, Mr. Larivée decided to call Tunisia, only to be hung up on, according to the lawsuit.
He finally received a call from Medcare around 2 pm informing him that his wife had a health problem and had to undergo another operation to correct a fistula. They explained that she was in intensive care, in serious but stable condition. Nothing seemed alarming from their side.
On January 13, around 9:40 am, Mr. Larivée received a call from Heykel Mansour, president of Medcare Vacations, who explained that everything was under control in Tunisia and that if the situation changed, he would hear from them.
Later that day, around 12:15 pm, Mr. Mansour called Mr. Larivée to ask him how to proceed with the body of his wife, Melanie Jutras, and how he wanted to handle the “administrative paperwork.”
Olivier Larivée then mentioned to Heykel Mansour that no one had informed him of his wife’s death or of any more urgent complications related to her.
A few minutes later, a surgeon contacted Mr. Larivée to confirm the death of his wife due to septic shock.
“NEGLIGENCE OCCURRED,” SAYS THE FAMILY
In the lawsuit, several faults are attributed to both Medcare Vacations and the Ennasr polyclinic, which refused to provide a complete medical record, “contravening the most basic requirements of good faith.”
It is added that a blood test had been provided by Mrs. Jutras. This test had been done nearly a year before the intervention in Tunisia and showed anemia. No preoperative blood test was performed in Tunisia, contrary to what Medcare Vacations claims to be a usual practice in its advertising.
There was negligence, according to the victim’s family, who believes that the postoperative care given to Melanie Jutras was inadequate.
The general manager of Medcare Vacations, Heykel Mansour, describes the death of Melanie Jutras as a “tragedy.”
“It is with deep sadness that the team at Medcare Vacations learned of the death of one of our clients on January 13, 2023, Mrs. Melanie Jutras. Once again, we would like to offer our sincerest condolences to her family and loved ones,” he said.
He added that the victim died from “complications related to bariatric surgery.”
“Our team is still devastated by this tragedy. It is a tragic situation that deeply saddens us,” Mr. Mansour said.
He indicated that the travel agency does not have access to the medical information of the clinic where the procedure took place.
“The case is currently in the hands of the courts. In order to respect the ongoing legal process, we will not comment further. We thank you for your understanding in this delicate situation,” concluded the GM of Medcare Vacations.
Read the original article(French) on Tunisie Focus
