Parents and family members of the infant Hamdi Fazlim, who died in July 2023 when he was two-years-old after a kidney surgery at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Borella, staged a silent protest in front of the Health Ministry yesterday (11), demanding answers over the child's kidneys going missing after the surgery.
The protest was attended by the child's parents and family members. They held placards calling for action against the primary surgeon, Dr Naveen Wijekoon, who left Sri Lanka and migrated to Australia shortly after the procedure. Others asked what had happened to the investigative report that the Ministry had promised, even after three years, and urged the authorities to "tell us what happened to our child".
According to the court case, Fazlim developed complications in his urinary system as an infant. Following scans, doctors at the Hospital determined that his left kidney was malfunctioning, functioning at only nine per cent, while the right kidney was healthy, functioning at 91%. They recommended removing the left kidney.
Paediatric surgeon Dr Wijekoon performed the surgery on 24 December 2022. Following the operation, the child ceased passing urine, and subsequent DMSA and computed tomography scans revealed that both of his kidneys were missing.
The then Hospital Director, Dr G Wijesuriya, initially stated that the child had a congenital abnormality in which the two kidneys were fused together, and that when one kidney was removed, the second, which was attached to it, had also come away.
The parents rejected this explanation, alleging that preliminary tests had established that the kidneys were separate within the abdominal cavity and that the child was admitted to the Hospital directly for surgery. Fazlim spent seven months on intensive medical support before he died of kidney failure on 28 July 2023.
The post-mortem examinations revealed that both the kidneys had been removed during the operation. Court proceedings disclosed that the Hospital authorities have so far been unable to produce the organs. It was also confirmed in court that Dr Wijekoon left for Australia shortly after the procedure.
The judicial medical officer who conducted the initial post-mortem was suspended from duty at the time. Courts have since issued orders in the matter, including the Colombo Magistrate's Court ordering the arrest of those responsible for the child's death. The most recent order directed that the responsible health officials be produced before the Court.
Meanwhile, the Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors’ organisation’s President, specialist Dr Chamal Sanjeewa said that it was regrettable that the Ministry had acted negligently despite the facts presented by the parents and the Court. He said that it was suspicious and questionable that the Ministry had not given sufficient support to enforce the law. He added that the Ministry Secretary should conduct an internal inquiry and promptly submit the relevant reports to the Court.
Multiple attempts to contact the Ministry were unsuccessful.