Little Hamdi’s death: Consultant paediatric nephrologist gives evidence before court

By T. Farook Thajudeen

Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist Dr. Malik Samarasinghe giving evidence before Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasooriya yesterday confirmed that all scans and tests conducted by Consultant Radiologist Dr.  Jerard Fernando had confirmed that both kidneys of three-year-old Hamdi Fazlim who passed away on 27 July were positioned in a correct manner and the right kidney functioned as normal. 

He added that the conducted tests and investigations revealed that Hamdi’s right kidney was functioning normally and was of regular size. Nevertheless, the doctor also pointed out that Hamdi’s left kidney was dysfunctional and exhibited greater inflammation than its usual size.

He also mentioned that, based on the test results, the right kidney exhibited a functional capacity of 91%, whereas the left kidney’s function was limited to only 9%.

The doctor clarified that their examinations definitively identified the left kidney’s malfunction as stemming from a blockage in its ureter.

Furthermore, he explained that after pinpointing the root cause of the kidney malfunction, additional tests and inquiries were conducted to delve deeper into the issue. These investigations consistently verified that Hamdi possessed two kidneys, appropriately positioned on the left and right sides of the abdomen.

The doctor stated that during the initial stages, he conducted an examination of Hamdi at a private hospital due to complaints of abdominal pain and unexplained abdominal swelling. He noted his suspicion that the symptoms might be attributed to urine reflux from the kidney to the bladder. Consequently, he initiated tests to determine the underlying cause of his condition. Dr. Malik Samarasnghe is scheduled to provide additional testimony before the Magistrate on 5 September.

The Magistrate has ordered the Borella Police to undertake a thorough investigation based on all available reports. This decision was prompted by the presence of conflicting information and unclear details in the report provided by the Judicial Medical Officer regarding the unfortunate demise of three-year-old Hamdi Fazlim at Lady Ridgeway Hospital. Discrepancies arose in comparison to the statement given by Lady Ridgeway Hospital Director Dr. Wijesuriya, during a media briefing. Dr. Wijesuriya had affirmed that the child possessed two kidneys that were conjoined, and both kidneys were removed during the operation. However, JMO Ruhul Haque’s report indicated that the child had only one kidney.

With concerns regarding the perplexing and uncertain nature of these findings, the Magistrate has instructed the Borella Police to conduct an impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the child’s tragic passing.