Iraqi patient dies after eating large meal of kebab following surgery, hospital says

SALAHUDDIN, Iraq — A 44-year-old patient died at Tuz State Hospital in Iraq's Salahuddin province after consuming a large portion of kebab following surgery, the hospital administration said in a statement. According to the hospital, the patient underwent an operation for a condition requiring medical intervention. The surgery was successful, and the patient was transferred to the surgical ward while conscious. The surgeon prescribed anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication and instructed the patient's relatives to serve only liquids and light food during the recovery period. Despite the warning, the relatives purchased kebab from a local market and brought it to the patient, who ate a large serving. The patient later developed abdominal pain, vomiting and a sudden medical emergency. Resuscitation efforts by the surgeon, anesthesiologist and emergency team were unsuccessful, and the body was transferred to the Kirkuk forensic medicine unit to determine the exact cause of death. The hospital said initial examination pointed to a possible sudden heart attack and rejected social media and news website allegations that incorrect medication had been administered to the patient.