Actor Tridsadee still fighting for his life, uproar over photos online
ACTOR TRIDSADEE Sahawong remained in critical condition yesterday following complications related to dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF).
The Ramathibodi Hospital announced that the actor, 37, was still receiving treatment in its critical care unit.
He was admitted to the hospital on Monday after developing severe symptoms of the DHF and serious complications.
“He is still on the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation,” the hospital said in a statement.
This treatment provides cardiac and respiratory support to people whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange to sustain life.
Tridsadee also suffered renal failure and infection-associated hemophagocytics syndrome (a life-threatening disease involving severe hyper-inflammation).
“He has had hemothorax [the presence of blood in the pleural space] too,” the hospital added.
However, the hospital said the actor’s blood pH was now normal and so were his brain functions.
“His liver also functions better,” it said.
Tridsadee’s condition has raised public awareness about the dangers of DHF. This year, the disease has affected more than 100,000 people and caused more than 100 deaths.
Photos taken of Tridsadee during this treatment that circulated on social media has led to calls to protect patients’ rights.
The National Health Act bans the distribution of patient information. Offenders face up to six months in jail and/or a maximum fine of Bt10,000.
Tridsadee is not the first celebrity to have treatment photos go viral on social media.
Dr Nawanan Theera-Ampornpunt, a lecturer at Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, said the photos of Tridsadee were not taken at Ramathibodi Hospital.
“Taking pictures of patients is strictly prohibited at Ramathibodi Hospital,” he said.
He added that he was now planning to draw up guidelines for medical workers regarding the use of social media where patients were concerned.
Nawanan said that medical workers also needed to be careful about discussing a patient’s condition via social media as the information could be leaked.
“Users of such media must be aware of the risk of hacking,” he said.
