[단독] An absurd medical error… Baby dies during corona treatment

Last month, a 13-month-old infant died at a university hospital in Jeju Island, and the police launched an investigation. The fact that he died due to a absurd mistake by a medical staff while receiving treatment for COVID-19 was confirmed as a result of the JTBC coverage. The drug was administered into the child’s body 50 times the standard value. The hospital later admitted it was a mistake.

PD Choi Kwang-il reports.

[기자]

On March 11th, Yurim was admitted to Jeju National University Hospital.

A two-year-old boy, 13 months old, was confirmed with COVID-19.

However, one day after hospitalization, Yurim passed away.

The hospital explained that it was an acute myocarditis caused by a COVID-19 infection.

However, it was difficult for the parents to believe why the healthy child suddenly had worsening symptoms.

There was a tragic clue in the medical records that Yurim’s parents had hard-earned.

The doctor prescribed a drug called epinephrine for the child who had trouble breathing.

Taking small breaths through the respiratory system will make breathing easier.

The nurse then injected the drug into the child’s blood vessel.

When given by injection, the appropriate amount is 0.1mg.

The drug administered to the child was 5 mg, which was more than 50 times the standard value.

[김상욱/마취통증의학과 전문의 : 에피네프린이 심장에 직접적으로 작용해서 심각한 부정맥 내지 바로 심정지가 올 수 있는 심각한 치사량이죠, 5㎎이면 13개월 아이한테.]

The easiest way to prove that it is a medical accident is an autopsy by the National Forensic Service.

However, the parents were unaware of this fact and even held the funeral of the child.

[제주대병원 관계자 : 일단은 (투약) 오류 사고가 있었다는 거는 다 인정하고 가는 거고요. 이제 최종 결과는 어차피 (경찰) 조사는 들어가야 될 부분이니까.]

Although the accident was caused by the mistake of the medical staff, the burden of proving the medical accident remains with the parents again.

After receiving the relevant information, the police began a full-scale investigation.

(VJ: Jihoon Jang / Video design: Eunsol Oh)