This is atrocious - RM100,000 is about RM760 per month for the last 11 years, and it certainly is insufficient compensation to be paid for the negligence of the hospital that caused a child to become HIV positive.
In terms of compensation, the hospital should have paid at least RM1 million as compensation, and a further RM1,000 or RM2,000 per month, plus all cost of treatment and healthcare, and the cost of the caregiver - maybe another RM2,000 per month. Treatment must be the best available in the market. There should be no need to solicit public donations or to utilize government money to assist this kid. The hospital is and should be made totally responsible - blood to be used for blood transfusion by hospitals must always be pre-tested for all transmitable diseases including HIV positive before being used. In fact, maybe the hospital should also be persecuted by the State - and maybe even an additional fine of RM5 million maybe should have been imposed, whereby this money should be placed in a fund to assist in the treatment and care of HIV+ patients in Malaysia generally.
Further, by reason of Malaysia signing those intellectual property agreements, that deal with copyrights, the cost of drugs needed by HIV+ and AIDS patients are just too high and will get higher with time. Oh yes, it was not just about CDs/DVDs, Computer programs, etc - but also affected medicines.[A smarter government would have not included medicines in these copyright agreements]
KUALA LUMPUR: Fourteen-year old Helmi longs to go to school, play football with his friends and become a scientist.
But his future looks bleak because of a mistake by a hospital in Segamat.
Helmi was given tainted blood by the hospital 11 years ago after being admitted for jaundice, which resulted in him becoming HIV positive.
His father Kamarul, 49, who is disabled, said the past eleven years had been a nightmare for the family.
Moral support: Mohd Khairun hugging Helmi at the press conference yesterday.
Kamarul, father of two children, who works as a road sweeper with the Seremban municipality, said the hospital finally paid the family RM100,000 in damages five years ago.
“At first, the hospital refused to take responsibility, but even when they did, we were not given a fair compensation.
“We were represented by a lawyer who swindled a large sum of the settlement,” he said, adding that they had been travelling from Segamat to Hospital Kuala Lumpur every month for medical appointments until they shifted to Seremban a year ago.
Helmi has now been diagnosed with AIDS and has not been to school for the past month.
“I don’t want my friends to find out about my illness. I am hoping to go back to school,” said Helmi at a press conference organised by the Umno Public Complaints Bureau yesterday.
Umno Youth community and complaints bureau head Datuk Mohd Khairun Aseh said they would do all they could to assist the family.
“I will meet the Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Ministry to request that the family be provided with a low-cost home, so that they will be closer to the hospital,” he said.
To make a contribution to Helmi’s family, contact the Umno Public Complaints Bureau at 03-6207 8706. - Star, 9/11/2010, Future looks bleak for teen with AIDS
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