• Infant loses finger during C-section due to nurse’s error

• Successful finger reattachment and transfer for rehabilitation

Incident in Jiangsu hospital sparks widespread outrage on social media after nurse accidentally severs newborn’s finger during umbilical cord cutting

The baby was born on the morning of December 25 at Xuyi County People’s Hospital, and his father was informed two hours later that the infant’s left middle finger had been accidentally cut, according to a local newspaper.

The child was subsequently transferred twice to different hospitals before being admitted to a major health center at Wuxi No. 9 People’s Hospital, about 300 km away, where he underwent successful finger reimplantation surgery.

The nurse explained that the mistake occurred because the baby’s fingers moved suddenly while she was cutting the umbilical cord.

According to a statement by Xuyi County Health Commission on January 5, the “serious error” by the nurse caused the finger to be partially severed.

The statement noted that the child was transferred again to Xuyi Hospital for rehabilitation, while the nurse was suspended.

The hospital issued multiple apologies for the incident and pledged full responsibility for the child’s treatment and rehabilitation.

The personal details of the nurse were not disclosed.

Authorities said the incident revealed gaps in hospital medical safety management, and that responsible staff would be held accountable, with a comprehensive review of medical safety and service quality improvements to follow.

The child’s father, surnamed Sheng, said his wife was in shock and could not accept what happened, expressing outrage at such a mistake occurring in a major hospital.

He added that the baby is suffering due to a metal pin implanted in his finger during the surgery.

Initially, the hospital offered 100,000 yuan (US$14,000) in compensation, with the possibility of legal proceedings if no agreement was reached, before the parties settled privately without disclosing details.

Sheng said, “My baby’s finger is no longer swollen, and we will closely monitor his condition.”

The incident sparked widespread anger online, with users expressing shock and sadness over the infant’s suffering.