Nurse held over off baby’s finger

FIVE-day-old Janna Nampijja will start her life without half of her ring finger after a nurse chopped it off at Kampala Hospital on Monday.

Nampijja’s finger was cut off as a nurse was removing the plasters strapped around her hand to keep the infusion cannula in place. The infusion cannula is used to carry intravenous fluids into the body of patients receiving medication through the blood system.

Nampijja, weighing 2.4kg, was prematurely born at 36 weeks by elective caesarean section. Doctors had scheduled to discharge her after three days.

“Unfortunately after removing the feeding tube successfully, the nurse found the removal of the strapping securing the infusion cannula difficult. She decided to cut the dressing with a pair of scissors but accidentally cut off about 1/3 of the left ring finger,” a letter to the parents from Dr. Jack Luyombya, the hospital ‘s director, indicated.

The hospital asked the parents to clear the bill. After they had paid up, they then asked speak to the mother of the baby alone, to whom they broke the news and apologised.

“My wife telephoned me saying that the doctors said the baby’s finger was cut off. I immediately contacted a doctor friend seeking professional advice on whether the finger could be reattached,” Uthuman Katongole, the father of the baby, said yesterday. “However I was informed that it was too late because of the time lag after the incident,” he added.

The 40-year-old nurse, Esther Ayikoru, detained at Kira Road Police Station, said it was an accident because the baby’s finger was wrapped.