Hong Kong’s medical watchdog’s guilty verdict against a paediatrician over a case that left a boy permanently disabled more than 16 years ago has shown that its earlier argument for ending the long-delayed probe on fairness grounds was unfounded, observers have said.
Medical sector lawmaker David Lam Tzit-yuen on Monday said it was “clearly extremely unsatisfactory” that the case had taken 16 years to reach a disciplinary hearing, adding that he hoped proposed legal amendments to reform the Medical Council would improve efficiency and help maintain public confidence in the profession.
On Sunday, the Medical Council found paediatrician Dr Sit Sou-chi guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his removal from the General Register for nine months over his handling of a newborn who suffered a seizure at Hong Kong Baptist Hospital in 2009 and was later left with cerebral palsy and quadriplegia.
The disciplinary inquiry, first launched in 2010, was only restarted following public outcry after the council terminated the case last year, citing concerns that the 16-year delay had made a fair hearing impossible.
The case also prompted the government to propose legislative reforms to overhaul the watchdog’s composition and streamline its complaint-handling process.
Lam said the reopened proceedings showed earlier concerns about the availability and reliability of evidence had not materialised.