After the case described above was revealed on November 2, 2009, Toomas Trapido, member of the Estonian Parliament told both the public and parliament also about the torture of his father in one of Tallinn hospitals few years ago.
"In just two days since signing in to the hospital my father was illegally chained, and chemically/physically tortured. But unlike many other people who have faced the same, we were lucky to have a chance to switch the hospital and it was like switching from hell to paradise, " Trapido told parliament at the parliament session, initiated by his Green Party, requesting also the Social Minister Hanno Pevkur to comment the cases of abuse in hospitals.
Since Trapido whose mother has been herself a doctor all her life, spoke out about the torture and violation of human rights in Estonian hospitals, he was contacted by many patients and their families who spoke about their own similar experiences.
The attempts to force Social Ministry and its health officials to acknowledge the problems has been met by severe opposition from Social Ministry, health officials and the Social Minister Hanno Pevkur who has tolerated for long the ongoing violation of the so-called medical errors complaints commission at the ministry even in cases when the violation has been clearly proved.
One of the most deepest violation of the commission that has been long led by long time Soviet health official and doctor is including the staff of hospitals/colleagues of doctors accused to the commission against the Estonian legislation that strongly rejects it.
In addition the Social Ministry has also violated the rights of patients whose approval to handle the disputed cases in the commission and share the medical data to third parties has often even not been asked despite the legislation requests it. In some major cases patients have not been even told the names of the members of commission before the session neither have the patients been involved to investigation process - again, against the law.
Estonian Patient Advocacy Association who withdrew from the commission in January 2011, stated the commission is not objective, not accounting human rights or patient rights, and doctors who have even falsificated documents and commission members are not - unlike in court - charged even if they lie. Regardless of all that the Social Minister Hanno Pevkur from Reform Party (led by PM who is married to doctor) has not punished any health officials who have organized the violation of the legislation.
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Illegal chaining of patients in Tallinn hospitals, violent euthanasia, fatal errors, freezing of disabled, lack of objective quality and complaints control, ignoring UN criticism and Patient Advocacy Association. Struggle for Patient Rights Law. Corruption in Estonian medicine, threats and Soviet-style cover-up. Our horrible experiences from Tallinn hospitals.
