The Corrections Department explained yesterday that its medical staff tried their utmost to save the life of remanded political activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom when she fell unconscious in the department’s hospital. They also stated that their medical treatment for all inmates is up to the standards set by the Ministry of Public Health.
The department has issued a statement in defence of its hospital and its medical staff against a claim by Krisadang Nutcharat, a lawyer from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, that their medics had mistakenly inserted an endotracheal (breathing tube) into Netiporn’s oesophagus, instead of the trachea (windpipe), which might have contributed to her death while she was being taken from the department’s hospital to Thammasat University Hospital by ambulance on May 14th.
The department claims that their medical staff tried hard to save the life of Netiporn by intubating her and administering both CPR and medication to stimulate the heart and blood pressure, in accordance with established resuscitation standards. The medical team claim to have closely monitored Netiporn’s condition throughout the journey.
The department insists that the department’s hospital is staffed with qualified personnel and has life-saving equipment which meets the required standards.
The department has appealed for all parties to wait for the autopsy report from Thammasat University Hospital. It also said that it is ready to hand over Netiporn’s treatment records to her family or authorised legal representative.
