7 die while undergoing hemodialysis: police works with medical device supplier

Thứ Sáu, 02/06/2017, 10:33
PSNews – Functional forces worked with involved parties to find out the origin of 7 deaths at Hoa Binh General Hospital. The first involved party that has been aimed at is Thien Son Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, the medical device supplier of the hospital.

On May 31, a Hoa Binh Police working group in cooperation with the relevant units under the Ministry of Public Security continued working with concerned parties to find out the cause of the seven deaths at Hoa Binh provincial hospital. Thien Son Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Trung Yen 3 street, Cau Giay district, Hanoi city), which supplies medical equipment to Hoa Binh General Hospital was targeted.

According to the records of Hoa Binh General Hospital, on May 28, Thien Son Company had checked, maintained and cleaned the water purification system of the dialysis machinery.

According to PSNews reporters at the headquarters of Thien Son Company, the company’s gate was always locked to strangers.

A day later, on May 29, many kidney patients showed signs of anaphylaxis. Later  seven of them died and 11 were in a critical condition. The case has been seen as “the most serious medical incident in recent years in Vietnam”.

According to PSNews reporters at the headquarters of Thien Son Company, the company’s gate was always locked to strangers.  

When reporters asked questions to deemed employees of the company when they came out of the building, they all refused to talk.

On the afternoon of May 31, the police working group was still at the headquarters of Thien Son Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company.

On May 29 morning, 18 patients were being treated for their kidney failures at Hoa Binh Provincial General Hospital, but after 45 minutes of dialysis, some reported nausea, abdominal pains and short breath.

A patient is in critical condition after a dialysis procedure at Hoa Binh Hospital went wrong and killed seven others on Monday. Photo by VnExpress/NP

The hospital sent these patients to Hanoi but it was too late for seven patients, who appeared to have died from anaphylactic shock. The remaining victims are under emergency care.

Police have completed forensic examinations and returned the bodies of the dead to their families. They have also cordoned off the area and temporarily shut down the kidney department. More than 100 patients who were receiving similar treatment at the hospital were transferred to hospitals in Hanoi to continue their dialysis, the hospital said.

Truong Quy Duong, Director of the hospital, apologized to the patients’ families at a press briefing on May 30. “I hold the responsibility for this incident. It’s a painful lesson for us,” Duong said.

Health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has promised on May 31 to quickly find out what caused the deaths of seven patients undergoing dialysis at a state-run hospital on Monday.

Tien said the ministry will also clarify the responsibility of people involved in the incident in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

By Phung Nguyen