Parents of child who died while undergoing cancer treatment accuse Faro hospital of negligence

The parents of a six-year-old boy with a brain tumour who died after being transferred from Faro Hospital’s intensive care unit to Lisbon’s IPO oncology hospital are accusing the Algarve hospital of moving their son “without taking all the necessary precautions”.
Little Tiago from Silves had been putting up a brave fight against a brain tumour diagnosed on May 27. He underwent surgery on June 3 at Faro’s state hospital and on June 11 he was moved from intensive care to a general ward, which is when his health deteriorated, claim the parents.
On July 1, he was transferred to the IPO in Lisbon because of a “shortage of beds” at Faro Hospital, the parents told Correio da Manhã newspaper, accusing the medical staff of moving their son “without taking all the necessary precautions”.
The boy died on Tuesday (July 15) at the Lisbon hospital.
Father Rui Pequeno said: “He was taken out of intensive care without the authorisation of the doctor who operated on him and without routine tests to his blood, urine and sodium levels.” The reason given by the medical staff, Pequeno said, was a shortage of beds.
“They told me that Tiago was in a stable condition and since there weren’t any more beds, his was going to be used for another child,” the father said.
However, he entered a coma and was later transferred to the IPO hospital in Lisbon, where his condition deteriorated further.
Messages of support and condolences to Tiago’s family could be read on the Facebook page ‘Todos Juntos pelo Tiago’, which was created by the parents to update family and friends on their son’s health condition and “struggles” with the National Health Service. The funeral was held on Wednesday in Silves.
Tiago’s parents have presented a formal complaint at Faro Hospital, questioning why their son was taken out of the intensive care unit.
The head of the Algarve hospital board Pedro Nunes told the Resident that he could not comment on the case, although he guaranteed that “no child is transferred from the hospital because there aren’t enough beds without the necessary precautions being taken”.
“In a worst case scenario”, the hospital chief said that children could be moved to another health unit in the Algarve’s new paediatric critical-care ambulance, which is equipped with “all the necessary equipment” to ensure a safe trip for youngsters.
Nunes said he was available to answer any questions that the parents may have, admitting that it was a “horrible situation” and that he sends his “heartfelt condolences” to them.