Family awarded RM359,000 over boy’s defective circumcision

In a recent legal victory, a private medical clinic in Kuala Terengganu must pay over RM359,000 in damages to a 10-year-old boy and his mother following a defective circumcision procedure. Judge Wan Nor Aklima Wan Salleh ruled in favor of the mother, granting her counterclaim against the clinic after proving her case by a balance of probabilities.

The boy's circumcision, conducted by two medical professionals at the clinic in February 2023, led to prolonged bleeding, for which neither doctor had warned the mother of the potential risks. The boy was subsequently hospitalized at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital, where doctors confirmed the abnormality of his continuous bleeding and expressed uncertainty regarding its long-term effects on his sexual function.

The court acknowledged the government doctors' testimony as well as the severity of the boy's genital injury, which resulted in significant skin loss and permanent scarring. He required extensive hospitalization and advanced surgery, including a full-thickness skin graft. Although the impact on his future sexual function cannot be fully determined until puberty, the emotional and psychological burden on the child and his family is considerable.

Interestingly, the mother's defamation suit against the clinic and a Facebook user who had posted negative reviews was dismissed, as the court deemed the reviews factual and based on their own negative experiences with the clinic. This dismissal served as leverage for the mother in her medical negligence claim against Hijraa Healthcare Sdn Bhd.