Alina Sarag initially contracted TB in 2009 from another child at her secondary school. Alina was treated with a course of antibiotics and her parents were told her TB was ‘dormant ’.

When Alina fell ill after returning from a holiday in Pakistan in August 2010 her father called the GP practice more than 50 times and took Alina to four different hospitals and yet, despite her known previous positive TB test, a simple phlegm test which would have detected the disease was not carried out.

Over a four month period Alina was diagnosed with a chest infection, a viral infection, bulimia and was told her physical deterioration was psychological.

On the 6th January 2011 Alina was rushed to hospital after suffering breathing difficulties, she suffered a cardiac arrest and died. Following her death a post mortem examination confirmed she had died from TB.

The inquest is expected to last six days.

Michael Burrell, Clinical Negligence compensation specialist at Thompsons Solicitors commented: “TB is no longer the killer that it was, it can be treated and cured usually with a course of antibiotics. The failure to diagnose Alina’s TB especially given her medical history is extremely concerning. Lessons must be learned so the same mistakes are not made again and innocent lives like Alina’s are not unnecessarily lost in the future.”