KOTA BARU, Feb 24 — The family of a two-month-old baby boy who died last Friday will take legal action against the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZ II).

The baby’s mother, Rosilawati Ismail, 26, said she would file a lawsuit because of the hospital’s negligence in providing treatment, including giving formula milk that was about to expire, (baby) being forced to fast for five days and given sleeping pills without asking permission, resulting in the death of her son Muhammad Hilman Firdaus.

"My meeting, along with my husband Muhammad Hilmi Firdaus, 23, with HRPZ II on Monday did not seem to have a conclusion on the cause of my son’s death. The hospital also asked me to wait for the results of my son’s blood (test) which will take two to three months.

"I just want justice for my son, at least to know the cause of his death and at the same time teach (those held responsible) a lesson so that this does not happen to others,” she said at a press conference here today.

Rosilawati said she had taken her son to a private clinic in Lundang on February 5 for treatment of diarrhoea before the doctor at the clinic referred the baby for treatment at HRPZ II because he had serious diarrhoea (and dehydration).

She said, upon arrival at HRPZ II, her son had received initial treatment in the emergency department, then taken to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) due to lack of water before being transferred to the ward on February 8 following his improving health.

"When I wanted to give the formula milk on February 9, I found that the can’s label said the expiry date was February 12 this year, a date that was nearing expiration and the texture of the milk had also changed.

"I questioned the doctor on duty on this matter but he informed me that the milk could still be used as long as it was not moldy,” she said.

She said that on February 12, her son was given sleeping pills without seeking her permission apart from (the baby) also being asked to fast on February 15 for five days.

"However, on February 18, I found that my son’s condition was weak before he lost consciousness and died last Friday around 4.30pm,” she recalled.

Earlier, Bernama reported that HRPZ II would hold a meeting with the victim’s family on Monday, claiming that there was negligence in seeking treatment at the hospital that resulted in the baby’s death.

The Kelantan State Health Department (JKNK) in a media statement on the matter informed that it would conduct a thorough and detailed investigation into the death of a two-month-old baby boy last Friday at the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZ II). — Bernama