Hospital launches investigation after body mix-up in Serres
According to the hospital, two patients died on July 6: a 79-year-old man from İskeçe who had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit and an 86-year-old resident of Serres who was hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Department.
The following day, relatives of the patient from İskeçe arrived at the hospital, identified a body they believed to be their family member and took it for burial, which took place on July 8. The error came to light only after the family of the 86-year-old patient arrived to collect their relative's body and informed hospital staff that the deceased shown to them was not their loved one.
Hospital authorities then contacted the family from İskeçe and asked them to return to identify the body remaining at the hospital. Following the incident, the hospital announced an urgent internal administrative inquiry to determine how the identification error occurred. Legal procedures are also underway, if deemed necessary, in cooperation with the relevant judicial authorities.
In a statement, the hospital apologized to both families, expressing its condolences and pledging that the investigation would fully clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident while respecting the dignity of the deceased and their relatives.
