Doctor in long delayed hearing over blunder says he thought baby was choking

Hong Kong doctor testifies he mistook newborn's seizure for choking, 16 years after alleged blunder left boy permanently disabled. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Doctor in long delayed hearing over blunder says he thought baby was choking

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A Hong Kong doctor accused of a medical blunder that left a newborn boy permanently disabled 16 years ago testified before the Medical Council on Sunday, stating he did not return to the hospital to examine the infant because he mistakenly believed the emergency was a choking case. Dr Sit Sou-chi, appearing for the first time at the disciplinary hearing, contested allegations that he failed to conduct all necessary and immediate investigations of Li Yuanjian, the son of a mainland Chinese couple, after the baby suffered a seizure on December 22, 2009. The case centers on events at a Hong Kong hospital where Li Yuanjian was born. According to the Medical Council proceedings, the infant experienced a seizure shortly after birth, prompting a call to Dr Sit. The doctor acknowledged receiving the call but said he interpreted the situation as a choking incident rather than a neurological emergency. He argued that based on the information provided to him at the time, he did not believe an immediate return to the hospital was warranted. His testimony marks a critical juncture in a long-delayed hearing that has drawn attention to medical accountability and patient safety in Hong Kong. The alleged blunder has had devastating consequences for the victim, now a 16-year-old boy, who suffered permanent disability as a result of the delayed medical response. The family has pursued the case for over a decade, seeking answers and accountability for what they describe as a catastrophic failure of care. The Medical Council, which oversees professional conduct for doctors in Hong Kong, has been examining whether Dr Sit’s actions fell below the standard of care expected of a medical practitioner at the time. The hearing has been prolonged due to procedural complexities and the passage of time, which has made gathering evidence and witness testimony challenging. Dr Sit’s defense rests on his assertion that the miscommunication about the nature of the emergency was a genuine mistake, not negligence. He maintained that his decision was based on standard protocols for choking incidents, which he believed applied in this case. However, the prosecution argues that a competent doctor...

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Categoria: cronaca