The Ministry of Health on November 23 asked the Department of Health in Hanoi and related agencies to verify the death of a 16-month-old boy at an unlicensed private clinic in Thuong Tin District, and report back before November 27.
The 16-month-old baby named Nguyen Dinh Quan suffered from fever and a cough on November 19. He was taken to the Huong Sen Private Clinic belonging to Dr. Pham Anh Son, also Head of the Pediatrics Department of Thuong Tin General Hospital.
The clinic was not legally licensed to operate.
Dr. Son diagnosed the baby with an inflammation and gave him a shot and some medicine.
Before injecting the infant, Dr. Son performed an initial test injection for counter reaction. After the vaccination, the baby seemed to show relief from the cough and fever.
On the same day, the child was again taken to the clinic for a second injection.
This time Dr. Son did not conduct an initial test for reaction as he supposed the check had been satisfactory during the first injection. However, a few minutes after administration of the injection, the baby began foaming at the mouth and turning blue.
Despite Dr. Son’s efforts to save the baby, his condition worsened. Seeing the baby’s deteriorating condition, the doctor urged the baby’s relatives to take him to a nearby hospital. On arrival, doctors declared the baby had died before coming to the hospital.
Soon after the death of the toddler, Thuong Tin General Hospital leaders decided to suspend Dr. Son from work. The Department of Health in Hanoi and related agencies are now working together to bring some light to the case.
Huong Sen Private Clinic belonging to Dr. Son has been operating for years without a legal license. Related agencies had asked to shut down the clinic several times but Dr. Son did not pay heed.
