The Ministry of Health set up a commission of inquiry into the death of a five-month old child diagnosed with pneumonia, who was taken by his mother from the Floresti District Hospital when he was receiving treatment, with the doctors allowing her to do this. The commission was created following an inquiry made by IPN Agency, which asked the Ministry to explain why the doctors allowed the mother to put her child’s life in danger.

The child and the mother were hospitalized in December. Dissatisfied with the way the doctors treated the child, the woman asked to be discharged. She took the child and tried to treat him at home. At the beginning of January, the child died.

Children’s ombudswoman Tamara Plamadeala has told IPN that the law allows everyone not to follow the prescribed treatment. In case of minors, the decision is taken by parents. However, if the child is in danger, the doctors can start the treatment without the parents’ consent. If they take the child from the hospital by force, the police and the family doctor should be informed so that they monitor the child’s state.

Press officer of the Ministry of Health Ana Tataru said a commission of inquiry is analyzing the actions of the mother and the doctors and is carrying out the morphopathological examination so as to clearly establish the cause of death. The results will be made public at the end of February.