Associate professor Nguyễn Văn Hương, director of the Nghệ An Friendship General Hospital, answers questions related to dialysis. — VNA/VNS Photo Tá Chuyên

NGHỆ AN — The substandard reverse osmosis (RO) dialysis water treatment system at Nghệ An Friendship General Hospital has been cited as the cause of patient health problems, the Nghệ An Department of Health announced in a press meeting on Monday.

On July 30, 10 dialysis patients suffered from shivers, high temperatures and difficulty breathing. Six of them were released in stable condition after just 30 minutes under supervision, but the remaining four were in more serious condition.

One recovered soon thereafter, but three were taken to the Poison Prevention and Recuperation Ward. They are Đặng Thị Trường, 62, from Quỳnh Lưu District; Nguyễn Thị Hường, 33, from Nam Đàn District; and Hồ Thị Lộc, 39, from Hưng Nguyên District.

One day later, Hường and Lộc were moved to Hà Nội's Bạch Mai Hospital following their families’ wishes. Trường continued to be treated at Nghệ An Friendship General Hospital.

All of them have now recovered.

Following the incident, the provincial department of health instructed the hospital to temporarily stop dialysis and set up an inspection team to determine the cause.

More than 100 patients on dialysis at the hospital were moved to Vinh Transport Hospital and Military Hospital 4.

Experts from the province and Bạch Mai Hospital last Sunday started studying the case. They determined that the RO dialysis water system had not been properly installed, allowing bacteria to grow inside.

The experts proposed the hospital replace the RO system with an update version that meets present regulations.

The system has been operating since November 2014, according to the hospital.

Director of the hospital Nguyễn Văn Hương sent a letter yesterday to the provincial Department of Health and concerned organisations to complete procedures to replace the system. — VNS