The debate surrounding "Total Anaesthesia", a 10-episode short drama series set in a public hospital, has moved beyond technical criticism to focus on the accuracy of how the workplace is represented. Doctors have questioned how the series portrays relationships between the surgery and anaesthesiology departments, as well as certain medical cases presented in the episodes.
The series follows a young anaesthetist called "Duaa", played by Salma Abu Dayf, who works in a public hospital far from the prestige of her father, a renowned neurosurgeon and owner of a private hospital. The character finds herself as the only woman in the surgery department, in a predominantly male environment, facing disbelief from the doctor "Azazi", played by Diab, about her ability to work in the department.
Kawthar Mahmoud, president of Egypt's nursing union, told Sky News Arabia that the image presented by the series does not reflect the reality of the profession or the nature of practice within the health system. Mahmoud stated that the treatment of the profession represents "a distorted image and intentional misrepresentation of the role played by members of the nursing staff within the health system".
Mahmoud added that reducing the role of nurses to secondary roles or tasks unrelated to the nature of the work constitutes "an abuse to a complete profession and thousands of workers in it". She emphasised that the impact of television on shaping public awareness obligates creators of artistic works to be careful, especially when dealing with medical professions directly related to citizens' lives and health. The union expressed its hope for a more advanced and realistic representation of the health team that would highlight the responsibilities and professional status of its members, as dramatic works do in other countries.
The series author, Muhammad Sulaiman Abdel-Malek, responded to the criticism by explaining that the work is based on the book "Stories from Operating Theatres" by anaesthetist doctor Duaa Jalal. Abdel-Malek indicated that Jalal contacted him after the broadcast of the series "Zaynihim", sent him her book, and he subsequently wrote the story and dramatic treatment inspired by it, reaching a legal agreement with her and using her experience during preparation and filming.
Abdel-Malek asserted that the fact that the series is based on a book written by a doctor who works in operating theatres means that the medical cases presented in the episodes "really happened", although they were reworked to suit the dramatic structure. He noted that the drama does not necessarily present the most common cases or the stereotyped image, but sometimes seeks "the exception". He argued that the variation of experiences between hospitals and doctors does not allow the accuracy of events to be judged based on a single personal experience.
Responding to criticism about presenting a public hospital as cleaner and more orderly than reality, the author indicated that the work presents an artistic vision that reflects the viewpoint of its creators and aspires to what he described as "realistic beauty".
Art critic Tarek El-Shenawy opined that the recurring objections of professionals about their representation in dramatic works reflect a regression in the acceptance of criticism. El-Shenawy told Sky News Arabia that "the excessive sensitivity that has become the prevailing law in how we as an Egyptian society treat many works of art deserves to stop". He noted that objections are not limited to nursing, as journalists, doctors and other professionals take offence when drama presents negative characters from their fields. While he stated that "criticism is a legitimate right", he argued that an artistic work is not obliged to present an ideal image of every profession, calling for greater flexibility in handling dramatic treatment without eliminating the right of experts to correct professional errors.
