Lawmaker slams ‘unsatisfactory’ past bid to scrap 16-year probe against doctor

Hong Kong’s medical watchdog’s guilty verdict against a paediatrician over a case that left a boy permanently disabled more than 16 years ago has shown that its earlier argument for ending the long-delayed probe on fairness grounds was unfounded, observers have said.Medical sector lawmaker David Lam Tzit-yuen on Monday said it was “clearly extremely unsatisfactory” that the case had taken 16 years to reach a disciplinary hearing, adding that he hoped proposed legal amendments to reform the Medical Council would improve efficiency and help maintain public confidence in the profession.On Sunday, the Medical Council found paediatrician Dr Sit Sou-chi guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his removal from the General Register for nine months over his handling of a newborn who suffered a seizure at Hong Kong Baptist Hospital in 2009 and was later left with cerebral palsy and quadriplegia.