Thai man with heart disease dies allegedly after clinic refuses him
Clinic staff leaves patient and his son to seek help from off-duty nurse and food vendor
A clinic in the Pracha Uthit area of Bangkok on Tuesday reportedly refused to treat a Thai man with heart disease, resulting in the patient’s death.
The Facebook page, Jmoi V+, reported the incident, which occurred to the 60 year old man with a heart disease named Somchai, at a clinic in Soi Pracha Uthit 33 yesterday, Wednesday, June 18, a day after the incident.
The page called on the Medical Council of Thailand to urgently investigate the matter. It also urged the doctors or staff at the clinic to clarify their actions.
According to the post, Somchai began experiencing chest tightness and asked his son to take him to the nearest medical centre. They arrived at the clinic at around 1.30pm and received medication from a doctor. However, Somchai’s condition deteriorated soon after. A nurse reportedly told the son…
“Take your father to a hospital. Don’t let him die at the clinic.”
Moments after exiting the clinic, Somchai collapsed. No medical personnel from the clinic came to assist. A nurse living nearby attempted to administer CPR, but Somchai could not be revived.
The son reportedly pleaded with the clinic staff to contact a hospital, but the person who ultimately assisted was a food vendor at the scene.
Somchai was eventually transported to Siriraj Hospital but did not receive treatment in time and was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The son stated on the page that he recognised the seriousness of his father’s condition and had come to terms with the loss. However, he was disturbed by the nurse’s dismissive comment and called for appropriate disciplinary action, citing a lack of medical ethics.
The Deputy Director of the Department of Health Service Support, Arkom Praditsuwan, assured the public that an investigation would be conducted to ensure justice for all parties involved.
Arkom explained that the National Institute for Emergency Medicine defines a critical emergency case as one involving any of the following symptoms:
- Unconsciousness or absence of breathing
- Rapid or laboured breathing, severe shortness of breath, or noisy breathing
- Signs of shock, such as sweating or low body temperature
- Sudden, intense chest pain
- Sudden paralysis, slurred speech, or continuous seizures
- Other symptoms affecting breathing, circulation, or brain function
He added that the clinic’s alleged refusal to treat a patient in such a condition could constitute a breach of the Hospital Act, which carries penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.
As of yet, the clinic has not issued an apology to Somchai’s son or family.
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