Three infants die after being anaesthetised
The central coastal Khanh Hoa Province's Military Hospital 87 confirmed at a meeting on August 26 that three infants had died after receiving an anaesthetic for free cleft-lip surgery on August 23.
The anaesthetic was administered by doctors from the hospital and the Centre for Researching and Aiding Smile Operation (OSCA), a non-governmental organisation based in Hanoi.
The infants who died were 16-month-old Pi Nang Tuan Huu of Khanh Vinh District, 14-month-old Nguyen Quang Minh of Nha Trang City and one-year-old Nguyen Ngoc Tuyet Van of Dien Khanh District.
The hospital said that the infants had been in good health, but after they were anaesthetised, they turned pale and suffered respiratory failure on August 23.
The infants were quickly taken to the Khanh Hoa General Hospital for further treatment.
But Van was reported to die on August 23 afternoon, Minh on August 24 afternoon and Huu on August 25 morning in the hospital.
It was alleged that anaphylactic shock had caused their deaths.
Pham Van Tien, deputy director of the Military Hospital 87, said at the meeting that the hospital would set up an expert team to find out the cause of the infant deaths.
The three infants were among 11 children who underwent free cleft-lip surgery on August 23 morning. The surgery of eight children was successful.
The OSCA's website (osca.org.vn) could not be accessed this morning.