Friday, 29 March, 2024
HomeMedico-LegalAnaesthetist gets suspended jail sentence for drug dose death of child

Anaesthetist gets suspended jail sentence for drug dose death of child

KotzeAn anaesthetist who caused the death of a small boy by administering the wrong dose of drugs has been sentenced to four years imprisonment, suspended for five years.

Beeld reports that Dr Deon Kotzé will also have to serve 18 months of community service in a provincial hospital in Sasolburg and undergo a formal refresher cause in paediatric life support at an academic institution.

The report says he admitted in the Vereeniging Regional Court that he administered the wrong dose to Juandré Bennett (2) in the Vereeniging MediClinic in 2012. Magistrate Retha Willemse said the sentence should enable Kotzé to “regain his self-respect” and to impart his knowledge. He therefore has to train young doctors as part of his sentence.

The report says the parents of the boy are proceeding with civil action against Kotzé.

The boy died in May 2012 after being treated by Kotzé, who said in his plea explanation in the Vereeniging Regional Court he usually administers 2% halothane, but gave 5% to Bennett without realising it. He did not monitor the boy’s blood pressure during the operation and did not wait in the recovery room for the boy to wake up.

Kotzé was back in the theatre when a nurse called him to say Juandré was still not breathing. The doctor says he has exceptional regret about the incident – the first in his 27-year career.

[link url="http://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Hof/narkotiseur-moet-selfrespek-herwin-landdros-20170126"]Beeld report[/link]

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