HÀ NỘI — The Investigative Police Agency of northern Hòa Bình Province launched criminal proceedings this week against Đỗ Anh Tuấn, director of Thiên Sơn Company, for his involvement in the death of nine people at Hòa Bình General Hospital last year.

Tuấn is being prosecuted for “lacking responsibility, causing serious consequences” and was banned from leaving his house.

The Thiên Sơn Company signed a contract with Hòa Bình Hospital to repair and maintain its reverse osmosis water filter machine No2 for kidney dialysis. Thiên Sơn Company then sold the contract to Trâm Anh Water Treatment Company.

On May 29 last year, 18 patients suffered from symptoms of anaphylactic shock, experiencing difficulty breathing, a sudden drop in blood pressure, stomach aches and vomiting while receiving kidney dialysis at Hòa Bình General Hospital’s Department of Intensive Care. Nine of them died.

According to authorised agencies, substandard water for kidney dialysis and equipment that was not maintained and operated properly caused the incident.

Immediately after the incident, local police commenced criminal proceedings against Bùi Mạnh Quốc, director of the Trâm Anh Water Treatment Company; Trần Văn Sơn, an employee of the medical material and equipment division at the Hòa Bình Hospital and Hoàng Công Lương, a doctor in the hospital’s Department of Intensive Care.

The first trial on the incident was held in May, 2018. However, the trial panel returned the case file on June 5 and asked authorities to carry out additional investigations.

Following the additional investigation, doctor Hoàng Công Lương was charged with unintentionally causing deaths. This September, the doctor submitted a petition asking for re-consideration. He said the incident was caused by substandard water and failures in maintaining machine operation, not related to treatment responsibilities of the doctor.

On July 2, 2018, criminal proceedings were launched against deputy director of the Hòa Bình General Hospital Hoàng Đình Khiếu and former head of the hospital’s Medical Materials and Equipment Department Trần Văn Thắng for “unintentionally causing deaths” and “lacking responsibility, causing serious consequences.” They were also banned from leaving their residences. — VNS