Recently, a citizen in Qingdao, Shandong Province revealed that his 11-year-old daughter’s condition worsened after receiving intravenous fluids at a hospital, suspected of being misdiagnosed and subsequently died. The Health Commission of Chengyang District, Qingdao, stated that the doctor involved has been suspended.
On May 14th, the “Beijing News” reported that Wei Yongtong, the father of the Qingdao girl, disclosed that on the morning of November 19, 2023, his daughter developed a fever and went to the pediatric emergency department of Chengyang District People’s Hospital for treatment. The attending doctor diagnosed his daughter with gastroenteritis and infectious fever, and prescribed intravenous medications. Despite the IV treatment, the girl’s symptoms did not improve, and the doctor prescribed an abdominal ultrasound for the next morning, November 20th. The doctor on duty on the 20th still diagnosed the girl with gastroenteritis and infectious fever, and continued intravenous medication.
At 1:30 p.m. on the 20th, after the completion of the IV, Wei Yongtong took his daughter home. Around 4 p.m., due to unbearable abdominal pain, Wei Yongtong took his daughter to another hospital in Qingdao. By the time they reached the parking lot, the daughter was already in shock, and despite resuscitation efforts, she passed away.
Wei Yongtong stated that he subsequently reported the incident to the Health Commission of Chengyang District on November 21, 2023.
On November 22, 2023, Wei Yongtong’s daughter’s body was sent for examination. On January 4, 2024, the autopsy results indicated that “the deceased suffered from interstitial pneumonia, widened alveolar septa leading to impaired gas exchange, causing acute heart failure, eventually resulting in respiratory and circulatory failure, leading to death.”
Wei Yongtong mentioned that during the two days of intravenous treatment, his daughter’s abdominal pain worsened, and he had requested doctors to check on her, but no doctor came to see her during these two critical days. He believed that his requests were not taken seriously by the medical staff, hence delaying his daughter’s treatment.
On March 20 of this year, the Health Commission of Chengyang District issued a statement mentioning that on the second day of Wei Yongtong’s daughter’s visit for the IV treatment, the attending doctor did not personally check the child’s condition due to a high number of patients at that time. On February 26, the doctor on duty on the second day of Wei Yongtong’s daughter’s visit was suspended.
Wei Yongtong stated that on December 19, 2023, the case had already been filed in the Qingdao City Chengyang District Court, but the medical liability assessment regarding his daughter’s care is still ongoing and has not reached a conclusion yet.