Health authorities, medical workers, hospitals and patients are
likely to be involved in legal wrangling over the sharp SARS
infection rate in Beijing hospitals during the initial outbreak of
the epidemic.
However, some hospitals are likely to be exempt from legal
responsibility because of the complicated and unpredicted nature of
the previously unknown killer disease.
Hospitals were initially the biggest origin of infection in
Beijing, but the number of people who contracted the disease while
at hospitals is still unknown.
Zhao Xiaojun, an official with the Beijing People's Procuratorate,
said it will not bring any action against hospitals where
cross-infection occurred in March and early April.
"Such hospitals should not ascertain judicial responsibilities as
the epidemic was not fully known at that time," he said.
But it does not necessarily mean hospitals will not have to face
cases brought against them by individuals.
Sources with the Beijing Xicheng District Health Bureau have
revealed that it has received a dozen complaints against
hospitals.
"Some SARS patients, who were infected in hospitals due to the lack
of sufficient isolation measures, and their family members have
begun to prepare to prosecute for faulty medical treatment," said
Liu Jinsong, an official in charge of medical administration at the
bureau.
Liu said it would be difficult to prove that someone was infected
with the disease while at a hospital.
Zhang Xiaolin, a standing committee member of the Beijing Municipal
Committee of the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party,
said the government would have to interpret whether cross infection
was considered medical malpractice.
According to the current procedure for handling medical
malpractice, "unpredicted and urgent" cases could be exempt from
punishment.
"But it is still difficult to judge at present according to the
procedure as it does not further illustrate what are unpredicted
and urgent," Zhang said.
Sun Baowen, a 39-year-old university professor who was allegedly
infected with SARS while at Renmin Hospital early last month, said
the Beijing Municipal Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and
the hospital should take responsibility for his infection.
But he said he will not sue the two organizations because the
possibility of winning the case is minimal.
The Beijing People's Procuratorate issued a notice on Thursday
saying that governments and its officials who suppress information
about SARS will be prosecuted.
But sources say it is still not clear whether officials who were
released from service due to negligence of duty in April, like
former mayor Meng Xuenong of Beijing, will be hit with legal
action.
"It is too early to tell," Zhao Xiaojun, an official with the
procuratorate, told China Daily Sunday.
According to Criminal Law, jail terms of less than three years will
be handed down to any government employee who conducts a serious
dereliction of duty.
The Beijing People's Procuratorate will investigate the six
different types of SARS-related dereliction of duty, it said late
last week. It will include looking at officials and medical
workers.
But a source says no such case has been placed on file so far.
(China Daily May 26, 2003)