Another medical blunder: NUH to be sued for alleged negligence
Written by our Correspondent
Following the shocking drug blunder at Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KKH), another Singapore public hospital – the National University Hospital (NUH) will be sued for $1 million by two parties claiming medical negligence on its part.
The first suit was filed by lawyer Madan Assomull on behalf of a liver cancer patient who claims that she had a needle wrongly embedded in her heart instead of her liver when she was undergoing treatment.
She needed emergency surgery to remove the needle. She survived and was discharged about two weeks later. The woman now claims she can no longer work as a cleaner as her lower limbs are weak, she tires easily and has swelling in her feet.
In the second suit, the patient was a national serviceman, Corporal Peh who became paralyzed after surgery for a fracture in the left shoulder.
Corporal Peh stopped breathin five minutes after he was wheeled to the recovery ward. Though resuscitation was successful in saving his life, he suffered irreversible brain damage and was paralyzed.
Corporal Peh died of pneumonia on July 29 this year, three years and four months after the incident.
Both parties are seeking $500,000 each in damages, according to a report in the state media.
Medical blunders as such are not uncommon in Singapore’s busy public hospitals, many of which seldom surfaced to the media.
In the KKH case, two cancer patients receive an overdose of chemotherapy drug in the matter of hours instead of days. One of them, Mrs Poh, is still not out of danger.
Health Minister Mr Khaw Boon Wan laid the blame squarely on the “similar” appearance of the two infusion pumps used in delivering the medication.
The two pharmacists responsible for the error had apparently mistook the correct pump for another which delivered the drug in hours.
The husband of Mrs Poh was magnanimous enough to forgive the culprits and claimed he did not wish to get those involved “into trouble”.
The son of the other victim, Mr Ng Chun Kiat said in an email interview with Temasek Review that his family had not ruled out taking legal action against KKH for the medication error.
Related articles:
>> KKH chemo blunder: Son of victim described pharmacists responsible for error as “idiots”
>> Interview with Mr Ng Chun Kiat
>> Son of KKH victim of medication error disputes reports in state media
>> KKH medication error: Khaw dismissed worker fatigue as cause
>> Was medication error at KKH caused by fatigue?
>> KKH CEO Prof Ivy Ng yet to apologize for drug blunder
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fpc on Wed, 18th Nov 2009 7:52 pm
more shit surfacing….
Those who think CPF life is good… think again.
The interest of your savings is not given to your children in bequest.
So what is the point about high interest rates in CPF life? It is all illusory.
Khaw Zhou Hee on Wed, 18th Nov 2009 9:33 pm
I was at a VERY VERY EXPENSIVE hospital where a pregnant lady was given a jar of plain water with a VERY STRONG smell of what can only be described as CHLORINE !!
The lady is pregnant some more! Sample was collected as evidence.
Anyone interested in this story?
Coroodle Spuaknel on Wed, 18th Nov 2009 9:53 pm
Why so many Boo Boo nowadays?
khaw do respond.
admin on Wed, 18th Nov 2009 10:39 pm
Hi Khaw,
Email your story to us at temasekreview@gmail.com
For Fools on Wed, 18th Nov 2009 10:41 pm
Sorry guys! Honest Mistake so not accountable.
When Mas Selamat escaped, nobody can touch home minister.
Still expect an apology form hell minister!
Hello anybody home!
Sinkapore on Wed, 18th Nov 2009 11:18 pm
I wonder if the Judge will throw the suit out of court based on it being an ‘honest mistake’?
beng on Wed, 18th Nov 2009 11:38 pm
“Why so many Boo Boo nowadays?”
so many people in congested places both in living and to and from work ? leading to poor air spaces and circulation – > more sick people ? work overload in health care services ?
lastly, people are getting more and more informed about general operational procedure and methodology and cannot get “hookwinked” too easily through excuses if something does not seem right.
Time for Change on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 12:15 am
Things are getting from bad to worse.
I guess it must be time for Change.
Use your votes wisely.
Protoss on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 12:36 am
mistakes happen la. i don’t think there is any intention to ko people. its no worse than banks offering to sell you a high five note and lose money in the end…
woody on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 12:43 am
I am sure there are many more cases that went unreported. One possible reason is the ignorance of law, of our rights as patients, dependents and a common citizen. Hospitals will pitched their mistakes as some common occurrence in administering these medical practices, so much so most people just have to accept them as gospel truth. Such is a sad state of professional negligence.
Personally, I think making the practitioner responsible for their mistakes is the only way to go, else these professionals will simply take them for granted knowing they will get away with their ‘crimes’ like their predecessors did.
And on the ministerial level, whether the ministers are good or not, they must also take responsibilities. WKS got away with the embarrassing escape of Kastari, nothing is likely to happen to KBW, Education ministers of the past are also unlikely to get rapped for the mistakes that LKY admitted he had made in education policy. If there is no accountability at the top, how then can we enforce similar accountability at the executive level?
In a recently televised program in CNA, one of the doctor from the singapore medical council actually warned audience of the danger of seeking medical services in neighboring malaysia, citing singapore as being renowned for high standard of medical care, both safe and professional. Now we can see how safe we are, and in the aftermath of such blunders, minister came out in the open to give excuses for the mistakes, I can only deduced them as their ‘reasons’ enough for the current influx of foreigners. What a mockery! What a shame! and WTF!
metallic on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 1:01 am
Protoss, if that happens to your own family members, I wonder if you will still say “mistakes happen la. i don’t think there is any intention to ko people”?
Can you close your eyes for a couple of seconds and think about your father, your mother, your own loved ones, anyone that matters to you. And imagine they are the ones that are the victims? Will you still say the same thing?
If you will not, I congratulate you. If you insist on your point as quoted, I pray for you.
citizenofSG on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 3:19 am
These are serious allegation and I hope the plantiff could win and be awarded generous compensation.
I find that life in Singapore is so cheap. It is lesser a minister one year pay. What kind of life do we have as an ordinary citizen of Singapore?
CHEAP LIFE !!!
talkonly on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 9:35 am
“mistakes happen la. i don’t think there is any intention to ko people.”
As long as you & your loved ones are not at the receiving end right, with or without intention ? Talked so easy.
Old Guy on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 9:41 am
singapore is like living in hell.. !!
Bobby on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 12:18 pm
I had avery unpleasant experience at NUH…and I can confirm that NUH is a classic example of the TOP not knowing the ground….the employees of NUH come from various countries…and all of them either speak in halting English or no english at all…even the Doctors come from various countries…
The result: A TOWER OF BABEL….how can anything or work be done properly when the employees of this Hospital speak so many languages and so many strange tongues?
It is an utter disgrace…..that this improtant institutions go so low to cut cost to enhance profits at the expense of patients and efficiency.
juglar on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 1:23 pm
Mistakes do happen but just don’t try to hide it and act snobberish and inscrutable when you commit a life-threatening error like most doctors and pharmacists do. And just SAY SORRY for God’s sake.
medb on Thu, 19th Nov 2009 4:14 pm
local tv always brag about how good singapore is when in fact it really sucks