SHAH ALAM - A nurse accidentally cut off a baby’s thumb while removing intravenous (IV) treatment equipment at a hospital in India on Dec 24, last year.
Based on a report by Indian news agency NDTV, the infant, who was being treated for pneumonia, was admitted to a ward at the Maharaja Yashwantrao Government Hospital in the state of Madhya Pradesh before the incident occurred.
The baby’s mother, Anjubai, said she noticed that her one-and-a-half-month-old son’s hand had become swollen and called a nurse to check on him.
During the incident, the nurse attempted to remove the adhesive tape securing the tube attached to the baby’s hand using a pair of scissors, but accidentally cut off the baby’s thumb.
The incident caused panic among family members and medical staff, after which the baby was immediately referred to a specialist hospital for emergency surgery.
A team of plastic surgeons reportedly managed to successfully reattach the severed finger. The baby is now in stable condition but remains under close observation.
Following the incident, News Karnataka reported that the hospital administration had taken disciplinary action.
The nurse involved was suspended, while the salaries of three other nurses who were on duty at the time were withheld for a month.
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Dean Dr Arvind Ghanghoria confirmed the incident and said an investigation committee had been formed and instructed to submit a report within 24 hours to determine the cause of the incident.
He said the baby, who had previously been dependent on a ventilator due to pneumonia, is now in stable condition following the surgery.
He added that further action will be taken after the departmental investigation report is submitted.