Experts: Bad water might be cause of kidney calamity
The level of fluoride residue found in water used for kidney dialysis in Hoa Binh General Hospital, where eight patients died recently, was high enough to cause fatalities, said medical experts.
Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien visits a kidney patient who was transferred from the Hoa Binh General Hospital to the capital city’s Bach Mai Hospital after the kidney calamity on May 30 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - The level of fluoride residue found in waterused for kidney dialysis in Hoa Binh General Hospital, where eight patientsdied recently, was high enough to cause fatalities, said medical experts.
The fluoride potency in the Hoa Binh General Hospital’s machines wasstrong enough to kill the patients instantly, said Professor Nguyen Gia Binh,head of the Intensive Care Department of the capital city’s Bach Mai Hospitaland a member of the panel of health sector experts responsible for determiningthe cause of the calamity.
Sample analysis results from the Ministry of Public Security’sCriminal Science Institute show that the fluoride level in two kidney dialysismachines at the hospital was roughly 200 times higher than the permissiblelimit of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).The other dialysis machines tested also had higher fluoride levels thanpermitted.
The high fluoride levels were caused by a failing RO filter systempurification process, Bach Mai Hospital experts said.
Investigations revealed that Bui Manh Quoc, director of Tram AnhWater Treatment Co Ltd - the firm responsible for maintaining the dialysismachines RO filter system - used hydrochloric acid (HCI) and hydrofluoric acid(HF) to purify the system but forgot to clean the machines’ tubes, leavingchemical residues.
Quoc, together with two other suspects, including Doctor Hoang CongLuong from the Hoa Binh General Hospital’s Department of Intensive Care,were arrested for investigation.
Doctor Luong is investigated for medical violations afterallowing dialysis treatment without receiving the machines’ maintenancereport beforehand.
However, Luong was released on bail on July 5 afternoon followingcalls from the Ministry of Health, the medical community as well as relativesof the ill-fated patients in the case.
They argue that he would not do harm to society and a detentionduring investigation is not necessary.
On May 29, seven out of eighteen patients undergoing kidneydialysis at the Hoa Binh General Hospital displayed symptoms of anaphylacticshock and died soon after. Another patient from the same group died on June 4after multiple organ failure, raising the death count to eight.-VNA
Nguyen Thi Bich Nguyen, who was among 18 patient having suspected anaphylactic shock during their kidney dialysis at the General Hospital of Hoa Binh province, died on early June 4.
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Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien visits a kidney patient who was transferred from the Hoa Binh General Hospital to the capital city’s Bach Mai Hospital after the kidney calamity on May 30 (Photo: VNA) 
