Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - December 2, 2003
Dr Vallop Thaineua, permanent secretary for public health, said staff were looking into claims by three families that their children picked up the deadly virus while being treated at state hospitals.
Two children have died. Their parents want the ministry to take responsibility.
They have asked the Centre for Aids Rights to complain to the Administrative Court, demanding compensation of five million baht for each family.
Dr Vallop said he would ask the parents to describe the symptoms and where and how their children were treated. The ministry was willing to compensate the families if an inquiry found the infection was caused by medical error as alleged.
Nittaya Chanruang, spokeswoman for the ministry, said inquiries found that one of the children, Sirinya Srisook, was suffering from thalassaemia, a blood disorder.
The girl received blood transfusions at Wattana Nakhon state-run hospital in Sa Kaew province in 1995. The blood, taken from Sa Kaew state hospital, was donated by eight people including the girl's mother. All blood donors were screened.
The ministry believed the girl was not infected while being treated at the hospital, said Mrs Nittaya.
The ministry was now investigating the causes of infection of the two other children.
Meanwhile, a taxi driver lodged a complaint with the ministry yesterday over the death of his daughter who he claimed was prescribed the wrong medicine by Children's Hospital.
Sanjai Sonrod, 46, said his 16-month old daughter Anyamanee was given wrong medicines while being treated at the state hospital.
Mr Sanjai said he took his daughter to hospital on Oct 30 where she was diagnosed as having flatulence.
The girl was given drugs, but she vomited after taking the pills. She was later diagnosed as having asthma and was given another seven bottles of drugs.
After getting home, his daughter took the drugs and vomited again. She died shortly after being taken to the hospital, said Mr Sanjai. The hospital diagnosed her as having a blood infection.
He believed his daughter died because she was given the wrong drugs. He demanded the hospital take responsibility.
Udomdet Rattanasathian, secretary to the public health minister, said there would be an inquiry.
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