Court delays trial on medical incident at Hoa Binh General Hospital

Defendant Hoang Cong Luong at the trial (Photo: VNA)

Hoa Binh (VNA) – The People’s Court of
Hoa Binh city, the northern province of Hoa Binh, on May 7 delayed the
first-instance trial on a medical incident causing eight deaths at the kidney
dialysis division of the in May last year.

The defendants are Bui Manh Quoc (born in 1986,
Director of the Tram Anh Water Treatment Co. Ltd), who was prosecuted for
“unintentionally causing deaths”, and Tran Van Son (born in 1990, employee of
the medical material and equipment division of the Hoa Binh General Hospital)
and Hoang Cong Luong (born in 1986, doctor in the Department of Intensive Care
of the Hoa Binh General Hospital), both prosecuted for “lacking responsibility
causing serious consequences.”

Thirteen lawyers registered to take part in the
trial, but only three of them were present. Former Director of the hospital
Truong Quy Duong was also absent from the trial.

After collecting opinions of the People’s
Procuracy, the participating lawyers and defendants, the judging council
decided to delay the trial and re-open it on May 15.

On May 29, 2017, 18 patients suffered from
symptoms of anaphylactic shock like breathing difficulty, sudden blood pressure
fall, stomach ache and vomiting while receiving kidney dialysis at the kidney
dialysis division of the Hoa Binh General Hospital’s Department of Intensive
Care. Eight of the patients died in this incident.

According to authorised agencies, unqualified water
for and equipment maintained and operated not in line with the
regulated process were the causes of the incident.

On April 20, doctor Hoang Cong Luong sent a
letter to the Party, State and Government leaders, expressing his hope that the
case will be judged in an open and fair manner.-VNA