Association of Emergency Resuscitation and Poison Control: Investigation conclusion of doctor in dialysis accident case is not convincing

The Resuscitation Association recommends that the Ministry of Public Security be objective and avoid wrongful prosecution when prosecuting doctor Hoang Cong Luong after the dialysis incident in Hoa Binh.

The petition sent on June 26 by Professor Nguyen Gia Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Emergency Resuscitation and Poison Control, was sent to Minister of Public Security To Lam and Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien regarding the investigation agency.3 people related to the dialysis incident, including the doctor, were temporarily detained.Hoang Cong Luong (31 years old), Intensive Care Department, Hoa Binh Provincial General Hospital.

Dr. Luong was said to have “lack responsibility and seriously violated regulations on medical examination and treatment. Although he had not received written instructions on the repair, Dr. Luong still performed dialysis for patients.”

Doctor Hoang Cong Luong. Photo: People's Police Newspaper.

According to gProfessor Nguyen Gia Binh and his colleagues were extremely surprised, worried, and confused by the above conclusion of the investigation agency and thought it was "not convincing".

RepresentThe Anti-Poison Emergency Resuscitation Association argues: First,Providing water that meets the standards for blood filtration (filtration and disinfection processes... testing, post-treatment inspection...) is the responsibility of the Hospital. The doctors themselves do not have technical expertise and are not assigned to do this job.

Second, medical staff are only users of the water source after being handed over and performing the technical procedures of dialysis. At Hoa Binh General Hospital, this technique has been implemented for 10 years. This has helped hundreds of patients with chronic kidney failure in the locality not have to go to Hanoi for dialysis.

Third, in many dialysis units, due to the large number of patients, the machines must operate continuously to serve many patients every day. Therefore, the units must plan their work precisely to the minute. When the time comes for dialysis, the patient must be served promptly or his life will be in danger.

Fourth, the handover of machinery and equipment before and after repair and maintenance on paper is only a handover of quantity and type of equipment...The water source when handed over to medical staff for use and performing blood filtration techniques for patients is of course guaranteed to be of good quality.

Dr. Luong believes that it is reasonable to prescribe blood filtration according to the program, after being handed over by phone by the responsible person (the hospital's supply department staff). If waiting for written handover, it will take time and miss the proposed plan. On the other hand, in this case, if the patient's blood was only filtered after being handed over in writing, the incident would still have occurred.

Professor Nguyen Gia Binh, President of the Association of Emergency Resuscitation and Poison Control. Photo: NP

“In our opinion, Dr. Luong's shortcomings are simply administrative shortcomings,” the petition reads.

Therefore, the Association of Emergency Resuscitation and Anti-Poisoning recommends that the Minister of Public Security direct the relevant agencies to investigate and draw objective conclusions to avoid wrongful convictions, helping medical staff feel secure in serving patients.

Previously, on the morning of May 29, 18 patients undergoing dialysis at Hoa Binh General Hospital suddenly showed signs of abnormality. 8 people died one after another; 10 people were transferred to Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi) for treatment and are now in good health.Authorities determined that the cause of the eight patients' deaths was the water source used for kidney filtration and hemodialysis; and the equipment was not properly maintained and operated.

According to VNE