Teen’s dengue death under probe for poor diagnosis

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Health Department is investigating any discrepancies or weaknesses by staff at the Tuaran district hospital in their diagnosis of a teenager who died from dengue fever on Dec 28.

State department director Datuk Dr Asits Sanna said based on his medical records, the 18-year-old was brought to the hospital’s Emergency and Trauma Department unit on Dec 25.

He showed symptoms of heartburn (epigastria pain) and had been vomiting for a day but had not complained of any other symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, chest pain or shortness of breath.

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The patient’s vital signs and body temperature were also stable, Dr Arsit said, adding that gastric and anti-vomiting medicine was administered intravenously.

The patient was allowed to go home after a six-hour observation, he said in a statement yesterday.

The patient was advised to return immediately to the hospital if his condition worsened and was prescribed painkillers and gastric medicine.

On Dec 28, the patient came back with symptoms of nosebleed, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and also a lack of appetite.

The doctor on hand immediately diagnosed it as dengue and the boy was referred to Hospital Queen Elizabeth 2 here for further treatment on the same day.

Unfortunately, the teenager was pronounced dead at the intensive care unit that same day.

The issue of a possible poor diagnosis was highlighted by Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau in a Facebook post after he visited the family members who were mourning the boy’s death.

Dr Arsit said that the department was conducting a “thorough and transparent investigation” and also identifying possible improvements that could be put in place for quality healthcare in the state.

He said the Tuaran hospital has four specialists on duty – a physician, two paediatricians and a trauma specialist.

The teenager was the second child among six boys in the family. His father Erwend Noun, 47, apologised for mistakenly telling Madius that his son had been sent to the hospital three times instead of twice.

“On behalf of our family, I apologise for the wrong information given to the Tuaran MP.

“Perhaps this was due to us still mourning at the time, causing a mistake,” he said, confirming that his son was sent to the hospital on Dec 25 and Dec 28.