BY RAYMUND WONG (The Malaysian Insider City News)
Published: 19 July 2015 11:29 AMA couple caring for their autist
ic son for 47 years have alleged that he was brain damaged after a teaching hospital in Petaling Jaya gave him a smallpox vaccination.
Low Hon Hong, 75, and his wife Chua Ngan Cheng, 70, believed that it was the smallpox vaccination the day after their son Low Chee Min’s birth in 1968 that caused him to have brain damage.
“He was born at about midnight, and the next day they gave him two injections: for smallpox and a BCG (for tuberculosis). A week later he falls sick, his body was yellow and he was admitted again,” Chua said, adding that her three elder children did not receive the same smallpox vaccination.
“I did not know any better then. I was young, but doctors now say that it may have been that injection that changed my son.
“He was too young for the vaccination, they should have only given it to him when he was older,” she said.
Chua said that when her son was admitted, doctors operated on him on the top of his thighs to perform a blood transfusion.
“I did not know what they were doing, I just kept crying because he was in so much pain. One of the doctors there told me it was better if they let him die, because he would end up being brain damaged.
“But how could I allow them to let him die? He is my son and I love him,” she said.
Chua said that it was when consulting a doctor years after her son’s birth that he advised her to seek a Singapore specialist’s help.
“My son was about five or six years old then, and he told me to go to Singapore, but we didn’t have money to do that,” she said.
Both Chua and Low now fear that they may need more help with their son because they are getting too old.
“I can’t lift him up anymore, I hurt my back the last time I tried and I am getting older, so that is why I need a helper now,” Chua said.
Chua said that she had asked for assistance from the Ministry of Health around two years ago but was turned away.
“I wanted to see the minister, but the man told me he was not there. He told me that if they give me money for my son, it would be admitting that they did something wrong.
“However, the man said the ministry would give my son free help by sending a helper but nothing was done,” she said.
Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San told reporters at his office that he had previously written to both the Health and Education Ministries but to no avail.
“The Health Ministry told me that the hospital was under the Education Ministry and the Education Ministry told me that the case was long gone,” he said.
“This is because a medical negligence suit needs to be filed within the first six years of the child’s birth,” he said.
“It is difficult for them now because they are both retired. It was when their son was growing up and was about five or six years old when they found out what really happened, but it was too late.
“Now that they are older, they need help,” he said.
Lau said that if any members of the public were able to provide medical advice, assistance or donations to the family, they could contact him directly. – July 19, 2015.
馬來西亞《東方日報》
（八打灵再也18日讯）疑因刚出生5小时就注射天花疫苗的新生儿，一个星期后发高烧不退，并在动手术后脑部受创，从此终身无法自理，生活起居都需要依靠他人照料。
这事件发生在47年前，究竟哪一方出现疏忽，现已难以考究，也过了法律追究期限；这对年过70岁的老夫妇，如今希望政府站能在人道援助立场，照料他们重度残疾的儿子。
75岁的退休质量管理专员刘汉雄，今日与妻子蔡银晴（70岁）及儿子刘志敏（47岁），在甘榜东姑州议员刘永山陪同下召开记者会会，发表以上谈话。
蔡银晴表示，自己与丈夫育有4名子女，刘志敏是幼子，另有一男二女。1968年，她到吉隆坡某附属大学的政府医院生產，並在6月25日凌晨12时05分诞下男婴，当时志敏是健康活泼的婴儿。
发烧不退动手术
「孩子出生才5小时，医院就帮孩子注射卡介苗（BCG）及天花疫苗（Smallpox）。之后，孩子便隨著我一起出院，岂料一个星期后，就开始发高烧不退。」
她赶紧把孩子送回医院检查，医生发现孩子皮肤变黄，然后安排替婴儿动手术。
后来查证下，她才发现原来天花疫苗是必须在孩子3个月大之后，达到一定的重量，才能注射。她不解为何医院当初替她才出生5个小时的孩子，注射天花疫苗的用意。
她说，自己对医药名词並不了解，只听懂医生说要在孩子的鼠蹊部动手术，开两刀换血。手术之后，医生表示孩子情况不乐观，一度没了气息，并咨询家长意见，是否放弃救援。
「听到医生这么说，身为一名母亲，我当然不从。我恳求医生救回孩子性命，经过一番努力，孩子终于能够活下来。」
脑受创终身残废
她说，但是当孩子渐渐长大，无法爬行及站起来，发现其手脚长得很怪，后来在医生查证下，证实孩子因脑部受创，终身重度残废。
蔡银晴说，当年他和丈夫也没有想过要起诉医院，生活辛苦，但是还是捱过了。既然孩子活命下来，就只能继续照顾他，然后寻求各方的治疗。
她说，丈夫已退休20年，她一直都是家庭主妇，以便照顾孩子。如今两人都老了，其他兄姐也有各自家庭要照顾，志敏將来该怎么办？
蔡银晴表示，当初孩子是在医院出状况，不管院方是否有疏忽，希望政府秉持人道立场，给予志敏一些补贴金，让他日后生活无忧。
年老力衰 照料吃力
「身为一名母亲，我並没有后悔！孩子无法自理，我就亲自照顾他，根本不敢去想今后该怎么办。」
蔡银晴说，这几年，她和丈夫因年老力衰，照料志敏也感到吃力，希望能找个帮手帮忙照顾志敏，但却请不起女佣！
「虽然后来有申请残疾援助金，为每月只另300令吉，根本不足开销。志敏每月开销包括吃喝及尿布，都要约800令吉。」
她感谢刘永山在3年前协助他们办理申请残疾援助金，希望政府能提高每月的援助金。
刘永山表示，希望政府站在人道援助立场，能发放援助金，协助刘志敏今后的生活开销。
他说，家属也了解法律追究期限已过，他们也无法证实就是天花疫苗导致孩子重度残疾。
他说，3年前刘汉雄找他求助时，他曾替家属写信给首相、医院、卫生部及教育部。卫生部及教育部皆表示不会赔偿，因为院方没有疏忽；首相则没回復。
他將继续写信给有关单位，协助刘志敏爭取应有的权益。如今希望透过政府或医院，寻求人道援助的补助金。
他也呼吁社会善心人士或组织，不管是金钱上或是其他任何形式的援助，都可透过他，提供援助给刘志敏。刘永山的电邮是lawwengsan@gmail.com，选区服务中心电话：03-79544724。
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