The Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Bijelo Polje is investigating the death of a patient (36) treated at the Berane Clinical Hospital Center, who died last month from sepsis - after his colon ruptured during an examination at that institution.
Family of the deceased ND In a letter to "Vijesti" he claims that obvious and alarming symptoms, as well as the scans taken, were ignored, which led to his death. The family demands accountability, but also appeals that no more lives be lost in this way.
The Berane hospital confirms that the police have seized all documentation, and emphasizes that the institution's commission has not yet completed its report and identified any potential shortcomings, while the Ministry of Health did not comment yesterday, and today they say that after the internal control report is submitted, expert supervision by an external commission will be initiated.
FAMILY: SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN
"We are writing to you, not only on behalf of the deceased ND (36), but also on behalf of all future patients, with the hope that such a tragedy will never happen to anyone again. In this case, it is not just that the complaints were declared 'psychosomatic', but also that a serious medical condition was not recognized, nor was the diagnosis interpreted correctly," the family said. Debetic.
They explain that their family member was admitted to the Berane Clinical Hospital Center on October 22nd of this year due to stomach pain, where he was being treated. During his stay in the hospital, just before his discharge, he underwent a colonoscopy with biopsies, after which his symptoms gradually worsened.
“On November 6, 2025, N. returned to the Berane Clinical Hospital in a serious general condition, with severe pain, a hard and swollen abdomen, constant urges to vomit, pronounced weakness, three days without urinating (which is why he had a urinary catheter placed) and constant sweating. Despite this condition, the medical documentation stated that the patient 'gave the impression of a mildly ill patient, with a soft abdomen', while the complaints were assessed as 'psychosomatic', stating that everything was fine. On the same day, a native X-ray of the abdomen was performed, but without a written radiological finding. Subsequent reading of the same X-ray, after N.'s death, determined that the intestine had ruptured, which is an urgent and life-threatening condition that requires immediate surgical intervention. Despite this, and after such a scan that showed an alarming condition, the family was informed that 'everything was fine' "Okay,' and N. was not detained or underwent emergency surgery, but was discharged home," the Dabetić family points out.
They say that they were informed on that occasion that the situation at that moment was not in the final phase, which means that there was a real possibility that Nikola could be saved, and that a timely response was made.
The deceased's parents are healthcare professionals - the father is an orthopedic specialist and a long-time physician, who was the director of the same healthcare institution for more than 12 years, and the mother is a dentist.
Despite this, their son was characterized as "mildly ill" and discharged home, although it later emerged that he had a serious, life-threatening condition.
The family is not citing this for the sake of privilege, but rather the opposite – to point out the seriousness of the problem and raise the question of how other patients are treated, if this outcome also occurred in the case of the doctor's child.
THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT
According to the preliminary autopsy report, which was provided to the family, the patient died the next day, November 7th, in the early morning hours, from sepsis resulting from a perforation (burst) of the colon.
"The family is deeply hurt by the injustice done to N. and the manner in which he died, which they believe was the result of serious negligence and negligent treatment, stating that they trusted the doctors' clear convictions that everything was fine. The family believes that, with timely and adequate medical intervention, the outcome could have been different and calls on the competent authorities to respond urgently and determine responsibility, so that such a tragedy would never happen again. This is not just a fight for Nikola. This is an appeal that no life will ever be lost because pain and serious conditions are declared psychosomatic and ignored, and that diagnostic scans, including X-rays, are read conscientiously and in a timely manner, so that no family goes through what we are going through today," the family concludes in the letter.
ND's death is the third in the last three months of this year that is being investigated by Montenegrin prosecutors. In October, a newborn died in Nikšić from suffocation, and it later turned out that he was left unattended by medical staff. In mid-November, a nine-year-old boy died in Bar, and an autopsy showed that death occurred as a result of sepsis. The boy had been suffering from chickenpox
KBC BERANE: INTERNAL CONTROL IN PROGRESS
The Higher State Prosecutor's Office told "Vijesti" that a case has been opened regarding the death of ND and that a forensic medical examination has been ordered after the autopsy.
KBC Berane responded yesterday that the Commission for Quality Control of Healthcare Services is "in the process of holding a session regarding the aforementioned case."
"After the commission's work and official report are completed, the public will be informed in a timely manner about the established facts and any measures taken. We also inform you that members of the Police Directorate have seized clinically complete medical documentation, and that the procedure is ongoing, and that KBC Berane does not have access to the autopsy findings," the response reads.
The management also said that at this time, no employee has been dismissed from work, nor has any disciplinary proceedings been initiated, "given that the process of determining all relevant circumstances is ongoing."
Ministry of Health: We are waiting for the internal control report, the family has not officially contacted us to date
From the Ministry of Health, headed by Vojislav Šimun, did not respond to "Vijesti"'s questions regarding this case yesterday.
Today, however, they claim that "upon submission of the internal control report conducted by the Quality Control Commission of KBC Berane, the procedure for forming an external commission will be initiated to conduct professional supervision of the healthcare provided in this case."
"The Ministry of Health, upon completion of the work of the external commission and receipt of the findings of the competent authorities, will promptly inform the public about the established facts and any measures taken. We would like to note that to date, the Ministry of Health has not received any official address, complaint or request from the patient's family regarding this tragic event. The Ministry of Health remains committed to the principles of transparency and accountability in the work of the healthcare system and encourages citizens to report their findings and complaints to the competent institutions in cases of doubt about the quality or manner of providing healthcare, in order to enable timely action and protection of patients' rights," responded the department headed by Vojislav Šimun.
Bonus video:
