Parents of a six-year-old boy who died of flu complications have accused Yan Chai Hospital of delayed treatment. Photo: RTHK
Parents of a six-year-old boy who died in Yan Chai Hospital of flu complications last month are planning to take their case to the Medical Council, alleging that the boy was not given the needed treatment in time.
The boy, Billy Ho, was admitted on the night of April 10 with high fever and seizure.
His mother told a press conference on Friday that the boy had been unconscious while in hospital most of the time, and was only given convulsion medication and antibiotics throughout the night.
She accused the hospital of negligence, saying the boy was tested for influenza only later and given the antiviral medicine Tamiflu in the morning.
He was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of Princess Margaret Hospital hours later, and soon suffered cerebral complications induced by the influenza, leading to his death.
The parents said they only learnt that their son had contracted Influenza A at a meeting with hospital representatives on April 28.
The mother also said they’d questioned why the flu pills were not prescribed earlier, and representatives of Yan Chai allegedly responded that it's usually difficult to get hold of Tamiflu pills at night unless the patient's condition is very severe.
She said she was told that the boy was given Tamiflu at 6 am, but clinic notes obtained by the Democratic Party – who is assisting the couple – showed that pills were not prescribed until 10 am.
The party’s district councillor, Roy Kwong, said the case gives rise to questions of delayed treatment in overloaded public hospitals. He added that the party's lawyers are looking into the case.
The Hospital Authority has not commented on the case so far.
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1259970-20160513.htm
