The family of a four-year-old girl who died after being treated at a hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima has asked the Ministry of Public Health to investigate whether a misdiagnosis was to blame.
A foundation that helped bring the case to light alleges that as many as 10 deaths might be linked to human error or faulty diagnoses at Phra Thongkham Hospital.
Thaniya Chaodonka, joined by representatives of the Pen Nueng Foundation, met on Thursday with Thanakit Jitareerat, a vice-minister, and explained what happened to her child.
She said her daughter developed a fever on Jan 25 and the family took her to Phra Thongkham Hospital, where the doctor said she had a symptoms of influenza. Four days later, she returned to the hospital with difficulty breathing and severe stomach ache. The doctor had tests done and told the family it would take one week to get the result, said Ms Thaniya.
The girl was subsequently transferred to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, where she died on Jan 31 after surgery. The cause of death was associated with sepsis and a ruptured appendix.
Ms Thaniya said she believed the first hospital made a wrong diagnosis, and the delay in treatment caused her daughter’s condition to worsen and led to her death. The hospital did not offer a satisfactory explanation to the family so she wanted the ministry to deal with the case, she said.
“I don’t want to see such a loss happen to other families so I have decided to file a petition to the ministry,” she said. ”I would like the ministry to investigate whether a mistake is involved including errors from medical treatment.”
The Pen Nueng Foundation also brought the family of a man who was admitted to the same hospital with a stomach ache and later died. The foundation said it had received information on about 10 cases involving suspected mistakes in diagnosis or treatment of patients at the hospital.
Mr Thanakit told the two families that the ministry would set up a committee to investigate their complaints. If medical treatment errors are proven, he said, families are eligible for compensation under Section 41 of the National Health Security Act.