Paediatrician receives nine-month suspension over 2009 medical blunder

The Medical Council rules a paediatrician guilty of professional misconduct in connection to a medical blunder that left an infant permanently disabled. The council suspends Sit Sou-chi from the list of registrated medical practitioners for nine months.

The incident dates back to 2009, when a mainland couple came to Baptist Hospital to give birth. Their son developed a high fever and seizure after he was born and eventually became disabled with cerebral palsy and quadriplegia. The parents filed a complaint against doctor Sit Sou-chi, saying he had failed to act on warnings about the infant's condition.

Referring to the opinions of expert witnesses, the Medical Council Chairman, Grace Tang, says on Sunday it was necessary for Sit to return to the hospital to assess the infant's condition instead of relying on the reports of a nurse. Tang says Sit should have headed to the hospital to check on the baby after receiving reports from the nurse and not waited until the next morning.

The council says newborn baby with seizures could lead to serious complication, ruling Sit did not conduct timely and required inspection. The ruling also states Sit did not show remorse in the process but defended his actions instead.

Sit made no comment and left after the ruling. For the baby's parents, the verdict is delayed justice. The father says they have been waiting for a result for 16 years and the family will consider seeking compensation through civil litigation against the doctor and relevant medical institutions.