WHO headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland.
The WHO Medical Ethics Committee was convened in an emergency session.
Chair Maria Van Kerkhove slowly read Dr. Whitman’s report aloud. Her voice grew increasingly rigid.
“Dr. Kang Taeho clearly violated the WHO Clinical Treatment Guidelines and seriously contravened medical ethics regulations by applying an unverified traditional medical intervention to a patient without authorization.”
The conference room stirred. Shock flashed across the faces of several committee members.
“Traditional medicine? On a head of state, no less?”
One committee member spoke, unable to hide his anger.
“Then shouldn’t we revoke that doctor’s consultant status immediately?”
“I agree. The credibility of the WHO is at stake.”
It did not take long for the committee members’ opinions to converge.
Director-General Tedros made the final decision with a grave expression.
“We will take the following measures. The WHO will dispatch an on-site investigation team immediately. We will summon all related medical personnel and have them investigated.”
Deputy Director-General Somaya asked,
“How will we handle the press?”
“Do not make anything public yet. Treat this as top secret until the investigation is complete. We must investigate thoroughly and determine where responsibility lies.”
“What do you plan to do with Dr. Kang Taeho?”
“If the evidence is clear, we will revoke his international consultant status and send warnings to health authorities in each country regarding the medical staff member’s inappropriate medical conduct.”
***
While the broadcast staff set up the lights and cameras, Taeho helped President Ibrahim sit in a chair.
Taeho said to the director of photography,
“Frame only a front upper-body shot.”
They checked the camera angle.
The arterial catheter was hidden beneath his sleeve, and the various cables connected to his body, including the ECG pads, were skillfully concealed behind his back.
Meanwhile, the makeup artist transformed the president’s pale face into one that looked lively.
“Mr. President, please lift your chin for a moment.”
President Ibrahim tried to turn his head, but he had no strength, and his neck tilted to the side.
“Please bring a neck support.”
At Taeho’s instruction, the staff installed a neck support where it could not be seen against the back of the chair.
Taeho stood just outside the camera angle, in the spot closest to the president. Behind him, Dr. Chen and several medical staff were on standby.
He checked the monitor. Pulse 110, blood pressure 160/95. It was a dangerous level.
“Ready!”
A staff member shouted.
“Three, two, one… cue!”
The red light came on.
“Good evening, my fellow citizens. I am President Ibrahim Sanyang.”
President Ibrahim’s voice was surprisingly steady. Thanks to the makeup, his face also looked healthy.
Taeho stared tensely at the monitor. His pulse had risen to 115.
“I deeply apologize for causing you concern over my health these past few days. However, as you can see, I have fully recovered.”
As President Ibrahim spoke, IV fluid was dripping beneath the desk. The red light of the pulse oximeter blinked.
Taeho saw cold sweat forming on President Ibrahim’s forehead. But it did not show on the broadcast.
“Mr. President, how have you been treated during this time?”
“The medical team dispatched by the WHO and the international community treated me. In particular, Dr. Kang Taeho, who came from Korea, helped me recover quickly with his outstanding medical skill.”
President Ibrahim stopped speaking for a moment. He was growing short of breath.
Taeho kept his eyes on the monitor. His pulse had risen to 120.
Just a little longer, just hold on a little longer…
“I would also like to address the military movements of neighboring countries.”
President Ibrahim looked straight into the camera. He was enduring through sheer willpower.
“It seems my health issues have created instability in the region, but peace is the most precious asset of the African continent.”
President Ibrahim’s breathing grew increasingly rapid.
“I will continue to do everything I can for regional peace…”
Suddenly, President Ibrahim stopped speaking. His face began to turn pale.
The camera briefly showed the anchor sitting beside the president.
Taeho checked the monitor. His pulse had shot up to 140.
President Ibrahim barely managed to continue.
“I will do my utmost. Yes. My fellow citizens, and everyone who has worried about me, thank you.”
Taeho saw that the president was trembling, yet desperately holding on. His voice was growing smaller and smaller.
“As your president, I will continue to do my utmost. For the peace and prosperity of Africa… let us move forward together.”
President Ibrahim’s body swayed.
At the same time Taeho sprang forward, the camera angle shifted to the anchor.
Taeho caught the president as he collapsed forward from the chair.
Without the slightest change in expression, the anchor smiled as she looked at the empty space beside her, as if the president were still sitting there.
“Thank you, Mr. President. We sincerely congratulate you on your recovery. This has been our conversation with President Ibrahim Sanyang.”
“Cut!”
The director shouted.
The instant the red light went out.
Beeeeep—
The various machines connected to the president’s body began emitting sharp alarms.
“Ibrahim!”
Madam Aminata screamed and rushed over.
Dr. Chen shouted,
“Checking rhythm. It’s asystole! ECG flatline!”
“Starting CPR immediately!”
Taeho shoved the chair aside like lightning and climbed over President Ibrahim. He interlocked his hands and compressed the center of the sternum.
“Administer epinephrine 1 mg IV! Maintain oxygen at 100%!”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Powerful chest compressions.
“Rhythm change detected! Weak PEA pattern showing!”
Dr. Chen shouted as he prepared the medication. Meaningless electrical activity was faintly appearing on the ECG.
“Keep compressions going! We need to buy time for the medication to take effect.”
Large beads of sweat formed on Taeho’s forehead.
“Continue compressions. We’ll check rhythm in two minutes.”
One minute passed.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A precise rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
Two minutes passed…
“Still no pulse.”
Dr. Schneider reported while palpating the carotid artery.
Taeho shouted,
“Add atropine 1 mg IV!”
Dr. Chen pushed the drug through the central venous catheter.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Sweat dripped from Taeho’s face.
Once it passed three minutes, the golden time would be over. Please, please!
Beep— beep— beep—
Suddenly, the alarm on the monitor changed.
“Rhythm detected! Transitioning from PEA to NSR!”
Dr. Chen shouted. On the ECG screen, the irregular waveform began showing a regular rhythm.
Taeho stopped chest compressions and placed his hand on the carotid artery.
“Weak carotid pulse palpable. Return of spontaneous circulation!”
“Blood pressure 70 over 40, oxygen saturation 85%.”
Dr. Schneider checked the vital signs.
“Start dopamine infusion at 5 micrograms per kilo per minute. Increase the IV fluid rate to maximum.”
Taeho gave precise instructions and took control of the situation.
“Applying 100% oxygen via NRB mask.”
After five minutes had passed, the numbers on the monitor slowly began to change. His blood pressure rose, and his oxygen saturation improved.
“Blood pressure is up to 90 over 50. SpO₂ has reached 92%!”
“Good. Trend toward recovery of autonomic response. It seems cerebral perfusion damage is not severe.”
Taeho stared seriously at the monitor.
After ten minutes, the president’s eyelids reacted.
Taeho leaned close to the president’s ear and called to him.
“President Ibrahim. Can you hear my voice?”
“Ugh… the troops…?”
The moment he regained consciousness, the president asked first about the military situation.
“Darling!”
Madam Aminata sobbed as she gripped her husband’s hand tightly.
The minister of defense, who had been on a call somewhere, rushed over.
“Mr. President! We’ve received a report that the Senegalese forces have begun withdrawing, and the Malian forces are also retreating from the border. Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso have also just issued orders to withdraw their troops!”
“Haa…”
Only then did President Ibrahim let out a long sigh, as if relieved.
Taeho checked the president’s pulse again. It was now showing a stable rhythm.
“Mr. President, that was truly dangerous. Your heart had completely stopped for nearly three minutes.”
“Thanks to you… we prevented a war. Thank you, Dr. Kang.”
President Ibrahim closed his eyes with a peaceful expression, as if all his strength had been drained.
Taeho called the medical staff.
“Let’s move the president to the bed. From now on, he must get plenty of rest.”
***
The next day, as soon as the WHO investigation team arrived in Gambia, they summoned Taeho and began their inquiry.
Peter Salama, head of the WHO investigation team, looked at Taeho with cold eyes. Recording equipment and a clerk had been prepared on one side of the conference room.
“Dr. Kang Taeho, you clearly violated Articles 7, 12, and 15 of the WHO medical ethics regulations. How do you intend to excuse endangering a patient with an unverified experimental treatment?”
“I have no intention of making excuses. I simply did my utmost to save the patient.”
Taeho answered calmly.
One member of the investigation team opened a file and said,
“We have even received an additional report from Dr. Whitman, head of the WHO Africa medical support team, stating that the patient suffered cardiac arrest. How do you explain that?”
“The cardiac arrest is true. However, it was a foreseeable risk in the course of treatment, and…”
“A foreseeable risk?”
Team Leader Salama raised his voice.
“Then did you inform the patient in advance? Did you obtain prior consent?”
“Of course I did. I received a full delegation of treatment authority from First Lady Aminata, and the patient himself clearly expressed, while conscious, his intention to undergo treatment even if it meant accepting every risk.”
Taeho paused briefly, then asked Salama back in a sharp voice.
“But more importantly, there is this. According to international law regarding emergency medicine, if the informed consent process delays emergency treatment and endangers the patient’s life, the physician’s duty to explain is waived. This is also explicitly stated in the WHO’s own regulations. So, Team Leader, do you think I should have let the patient die for the sake of paperwork?”
“That is…”
Faced with the unexpected counterattack, Team Leader Salama hesitated, unable to find words.
Just then, someone knocked on the conference room door.
“We are in the middle of an investigation. Later…”
Team Leader Salama said irritably.
The door opened, and President Ibrahim entered in a wheelchair. A healthy color had returned to his face.
Team Leader Salama hurriedly rose from his seat. The other investigation team members hastily followed suit.
“Mr. President!”
Salama said with a flustered expression. The other investigators also looked at one another in disbelief. They had heard that President Ibrahim had not yet awakened, so what was going on?
“Please sit, everyone.”
“You have recovered faster than expected. That is fortunate.”
When Salama spoke, President Ibrahim smiled gently.
“I do not intend to interfere with your investigation. I only came because I wanted to say something as the patient.”
The investigators awkwardly sat back down, exchanging glances.
“As you can see, I have recovered considerably. It is all thanks to Dr. Kang.”
“However, according to Dr. Whitman’s report…”
“I fully expected Dr. Whitman’s report. Members of the investigation team, let me state this clearly as the patient in question. Dr. Kang Taeho is the attending physician who saved my life.”
“But regarding the occurrence of cardiac arrest…”
“The cardiac arrest is a fact. However, it was not due to negligence by the medical staff, but a complication that occurred as a result of my own insistence on proceeding with the live broadcast.”
Faced with the patient’s direct testimony, the investigation team could no longer find grounds to refute him. The allegations of medical negligence were effectively neutralized, and the disciplinary measures against Dr. Kang Taeho lost their legitimacy.
President Ibrahim looked at each member of the investigation team in turn and continued speaking.
“You all seem to be focusing only on the clinical facts. However, I ask that you evaluate this matter from a broader perspective.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Thanks to Dr. Kang’s medical intervention and expertise, an armed conflict in West Africa was prevented. That is the same as saving hundreds of thousands of lives. The WHO should, if anything, recognize this medical diplomatic achievement as a contribution.”
The investigators looked at one another with bewildered expressions.
Just then, the chief of staff hurried inside.
“Mr. President, urgent news is breaking. Please look at the TV!”