Hong Kong man, 50, left in coma for days after nurse failed to switch on ventilator
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A source told the Post that the Hospital Authority should have promptly disclosed the July 21 incident as the severity of the matter was of grave public interest, adding that any delay was unjustifiable.
'The patient's heartbeat had stopped after he was deprived of his oxygen supply for a few minutes as the nurse failed to switch on the ventilator following the completion of mucus suction procedures,' the insider said.
'A deprivation of oxygen is highly likely to result in brain damage. The patient quickly suffered a cardiac arrest, requiring immediate resuscitation ... He still remains in a critical condition in the intensive care unit [ICU].'
Public hospitals in Hong Kong are required to report serious medical incidents to the head office within 24 hours, according to Hospital Authority policy.
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While the information is reported internally, some incidents may also be disclosed publicly, depending on factors such as severity, public health impact, improvement measures and the need to maintain public trust.
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