A tragic incident has cast shadows over Rigshospitalet, as it has been confirmed that the death of an 11-year-old boy was caused by a fungal infection he contracted during his treatment at the hospital. The boy, Villads Hagelund Olsen, had been treated for leukemia and was cancer-free at his discharge on December 2, 2022. However, eight days later, he died from a fungal infection. For the first time, mold in the buildings of Rigshospitalet can be directly linked to a death. This comes after an investigation and a decision from the Patient Compensation (Patienterstatningen), which has awarded compensation to Villads’ family. According to the decision, it is with “overwhelming likelihood” that the boy’s death was caused by an infection from the hospital’s buildings.
Camilla Hagelund Olsen, Villads’ mother, told Berlingske that even though the compensation has been awarded, it does not change the fact that Villads is dead. “The decision itself does not bring Villads back. Regardless, he is dead, but it is terrible to think that he might still have been here if it were not for the problems Rigshospitalet has with its buildings,” she said.
This case raises serious questions about the safety and maintenance of hospital infrastructure, especially when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable patients from additional health risks.