Is the Ministry of Health blame for Mannopov's death?

On March 5, 2023, 27-year-old blogger Farhod Mannopov, known by his pseudonym "Mittivine," tragically passed away. Days earlier, he had sustained injuries to his head and nose while swimming with friends. Seeking treatment, he visited the private "Star Med Center" clinic in Tashkent's Chilonzor district for nose surgery. Tragically, he died during the procedure.

After months of investigation, the court proceedings for this case, which began on October 18, 2023, reached a verdict on November 29. The court ruled against the doctors who operated on Mannopov.

"The otolaryngologist (ENT) of "Star Med Center," identified as A.H., was convicted under Part 3 of Article 116 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code for failing to fulfill professional duties. He was sentenced to five years of restricted liberty and prohibited from working as an otolaryngologist or anesthesiologist-resuscitator for two years. Meanwhile, the anesthesiologist-resuscitator received a sentence of three years, six months, and 27 days of restricted liberty, alongside a two-year ban from medical practice," the court states.

However, two other doctors, A.Kh. and J.K., were acquitted of charges under Part 2 of Article 117 (exposing to danger). According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the lengthy trial required detailed interrogations, extensive expert examinations, and complex investigative actions. These investigations ultimately revealed conflicting opinions regarding the doctors' culpability, leading to dissatisfaction among the medical professionals.

One of the convicted doctors, Alijon Hisonov, expressed frustration with the verdict. According to Hisonov, Mannopov developed malignant hyperthermia due to anesthesia during surgery—a rare condition characterized by a sudden spike in body temperature to 43 degrees Celsius. This condition, he argued, could only be managed with the drug "Dantrolene," which is not registered or authorized for use in Uzbekistan.

“Anesthesiologists cannot predict a patient’s reaction to anesthesia in advance. When hyperthermia occurs, Dantrolene is the only remedy that could save a life. Unfortunately, this drug is not registered in Uzbekistan, making it unavailable to us. In Russia, the drug was registered only in 2022. No anesthesiologist could have saved the patient without it,” Hisonov stated.

Hisonov highlighted his extensive experience, emphasizing that this incident was unprecedented in his career.

“I’ve worked as a doctor for 19 years and performed over 7,000 operations without a single death. This was the first case of its kind. Statistically, this condition occurs in one out of 60,000 people,” he explained.

The doctor also shared his international training credentials, which include prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Chicago in the U.S., as well as advanced training in Vienna, Austria. He believes the Ministry of Health should bear responsibility for not registering critical drugs like Dantrolene.

“If the ministry does not address this issue, more lives could be lost, and more doctors could be wrongfully punished,” Hisonov added.

The defendants' lawyer, Abdumalik Abdullayev, criticized the court’s decision, suggesting it was influenced by public opinion and bloggers rather than evidence.

“Over a dozen areas of the clinic were thoroughly examined, and more than fifty experts were involved. None of them testified that the doctors made a mistake. Despite this, the prosecutor kept repeating investigations as if deliberately looking for faults. This verdict is unjust, and we will appeal it,” Abdullayev stated.

The year-long trial of Farhod Mannopov has concluded with a controversial verdict. However, the defendants and their lawyers have announced plans to appeal, leaving the case unresolved in the eyes of many.