Juliana's Twins & OMNI

Juliana and Kiki Kurniawan have reported OMNI International Hospital, Alam Sutera, to the Tangerang Police office, for alleged malpractice that caused blindness to their twin babies Jayden Christophel and Jared Christophel.

According to Suara Pembaruan, the story began on 26 May 2008 when Juliana gave premature birth (33 weeks) to Jayden (1.30 Kg) & Jared (1.50 Kg) at the said hospital. According to the babies’ Pediatrician Dr. Fredy Limawal, Jayden had problems with his lungs therefore should be treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and injected with Surfactan. Later, the Pediatrician told Juliana that both babies were having problems with their eyes, due to which fact Juliana & her husband asked that their babies to be treated by team of specialists. However, until the hospital released the babies after 42 days of treatment that costed Rp 125 millions, the only doctor who handled their babies was Dr Fredy.
Afterwards, the couple brought their babies to the Nusantara Eye Clinic then to a hospital in Australia, and they both diagnosed that the babies were blind because of damage to their eyes’ nerves. This is contradictory to the OMNI’s medical record which stated that both babies were normal.
After asking OMNI several times to be responsible for their malpractice, without any result, the couple filed the Police report. The couple’s lawyer O.C. Kaligis alleged that the hospital committed crime based on the Penal Code Articles 360 and 361 regarding action or omission that caused heavy wounds.

In response to the high profile media reports about what happened to the twin babies, last Sunday the hospital's director Dr. Bina Ratna gave a press conference. Poskota quoted her as saying that the hospital is ready to face legal action taken by Juliana & her husband. She added that the hospital has performed the correct procedures in providing medical treatment to the twin babies.

What has happened to Juliana and her twin sons are very frightening. I hope that the Police would investigate this case thoroughly to find out anyone who could possibly be responsible for the twin babies' blindness.