Clinic staff face penalties for circumcision error

 has determined that people responsible could face up to two years jail and/or a fine of up to Bt40,000, the Public Health Ministry said yesterday.

Dr Somyos Deerasamee, head of the Department of Medical Service, said the team looking into the matter, found that miscommunication had resulted in the boy, aged 12, being mistreated at the Phra Pradaeng clinic.

A fact-finding sub-panel met yesterday with related agencies and agreed that the doctor at the clinic was at fault according to Article 34 (1) of the Medical Facilities Act of 1998, for not properly supervising a professional nurse during a procedure allowed according to his training background. Punishment for this offence was up to two years jail and/or a fine up to Bt40,000.

He said the ministry would submit the case to the Medical Council to consider punishment in relation to the professional code of ethics.

The ministry also reported the case to the Nursing Council to consider punishment for the male nurse who performed the procedure on the boy.

Meanwhile, the clinic would take care of the boy until his wounds healed and he grows up. Consideration would also be given to an appropriate sum of compensation for the victim, he said.