17 years of misdiagnosis has placed the life of Ms. Sutthida Saengsumat in misery after she was diagnosed with HIV at an early age and the Ministry of Public Health has appointed a fact-finding committee to find out how the error happened and how to prevent such error in the future.

The month-long investigation has been assigned by Public Health Minister Piyasakon Sakonsatthayathorn and will check the victim’s medical record, will question witnesses and check the blood test process, to determine whether it was repeated for confirmation or not during the diagnosis. The probe will also find out whether there was an error with the medical devices or any human error and negligence of  staff.

Initial investigations reveal that Sutthida is a native from Roi-et Province but her medical records reveal that she was registered from Lampang, northern province of Thailand.

Sutthida, 23, who is now married and has her own child, will become a presenter in the ministry’s campaign against discrimination of HIV patients. The Thai Red Cross’ Research Centre believes that the medical staff will also be questioned if their duties were executed properly.

Source: Thaivisa