In December 2024, 73-year-old Nikolai Gubsky died after a repeat paid hospitalisation at the capital's Medical Centre of the Presidential Administration. His relatives claim the death could have been avoided and have already secured an investigation by the Ministry of Health.
According to the Telegram channel "They're already on their way for us", Nikolai Gubsky was a former firefighter from the town of Akkol in the Akmola region. Last autumn, the man showed signs of jaundice, and his daughter - Yulia Dil took her father to the capital's medical centre, where he had previously been treated. The patient had type 2 diabetes and required insulin injections. Doctors diagnosed him with "bile duct stricture."
According to Yulia, doctors prescribed an endoscopic invasive procedure without detailed explanation. For administering the insulin injections, the doctor asked for a transfer of 100,000 tenge to his personal account. Due to her father's serious condition, she did not pursue the matter at the time and transferred the money.
After the operation, the patient's condition did not improve; a stent was then placed in his gallbladder and he was discharged 18 days later. According to his daughter, the discharge summary listed two incorrect diagnoses. When this was pointed out, the doctor blamed it on an error and rewrote the documents.
At home, Nikolai Gubsky's condition deteriorated sharply: his tremor worsened and he began to lose weight rapidly. After a repeat hospitalisation, two operations were performed to remove the stent. The family believes the last one was unsuccessful — the patient died. According to relatives, they were persuaded to forgo an autopsy, with the reason given being "a shortened working day before the weekend."
Later, Yulia initiated an investigation by the relevant committee of the Ministry of Health. The expert review revealed numerous violations in the provision of medical care:
- during the first hospitalisation, an MRI and CT scan were performed simultaneously, and no control ultrasound was done upon discharge;
- there is no protocol for stent removal and monitoring;
- the post-mortem epicrisis did not list all the medications used for treatment;
- no cancer marker testing was carried out;
- there were no consultations with certain key specialists;
- after the first discharge, patient follow-up was inadequate;
- tests were not performed in a timely manner;
- antibiotics were not prescribed;
- the endoscopist lacked the necessary continuing professional development in this specialist field.
Furthermore, the inspection of the medical centre revealed violations of treatment and diagnostic protocols, inadequate assessment of the severity of the patient's condition, and a failure to comply with anti-corruption requirements. According to the family, the doctor faced disciplinary action, after which he resigned and now works at another clinic in the capital.
The official conclusion from the Ministry of Health states that the patient's death was caused by severe liver failure, complicated cholangitis, and a severe septic condition. At the same time, it emphasises that the patient had comorbidities which increased the risk of complications by 2–4 times. The deceased's relatives have now contacted the police and are demanding a full investigation.