THE Ministry of Health yesterday ordered officials in Prey Veng province to launch an investigation following claims that an infant died after receiving a series of injections at a private clinic.

Heang Makara, the infant’s mother, said yesterday that her son had been taken to the private clinic on November 20 with pneumonia and had died immediately after being treated by staff.

“The director of the private clinic gave my son three injections and gave him medicine two times, and then his body became purple, blood come out through his ear and nose, and then he died,” she said.

Heang Makara said she had filed a complaint to police, which she later dropped in exchange for 3 million riels [about US$741] in compensation.

But Pich Houn, director of the provincial Health Department, said the Health Ministry had yesterday ordered him to investigate the incident.

“I ordered my two officers to go down to investigate this evening after I got the phone call from the Health Ministry official today,” he said, and declined to comment further, saying he had no additional information.

“I need my officers to go there and find more information connected with the case,” he said.

Lay Im, provincial monitor for the rights group Adhoc, welcomed the investigation and called on the Health Ministry to be more vigilant in protecting patients from unprofessional medical staff.

“To be doctors or medics they should have knowledge and experience and be professional because the patients come to them for help, they do not come for death,” she said.