Nurse claimed using adhesive instead of stitches would prevent scarring. A nurse at a government hospital in southern India has been suspended for using commercial adhesive instead of stitches to treat a child’s wound. The incident occurred on 14 January when Gurukishan Annappa Hosamani, 7, was brought to the Adoor Primary Health Centre in Haveri district of Karnataka state. The child was reportedly bleeding from a wound on his cheek.
The nurse, identified by local media by her first name Jyoti, reportedly told the parents using the adhesive would prevent scarring on the child’s face and claimed that she had been practising this method of closing wounds for years. Concerned by the nurse’s response, the child’s parents recorded a video in which she can be heard saying: “I thought applying Fevikwik would be a better solution, and if it didn’t work we would have referred him for further treatment.”.
Fevikwik is a popular multipurpose adhesive brand. The parents also filed a complaint with the Health Protection Committee. The video sparked public outrage, prompting district health authorities to intervene. But instead of suspending the nurse for medical negligence, they transferred her to another health facility on 3 February, causing a fresh wave of anger. That is when she was suspended. “If a nurse can take such a decision so lightly, imagine the risks in other remote health centres,” an unidentified local activist told the news outlet South First.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Commissioner’s Office of Health and Family Welfare Services said: “Fevikwik is an adhesive solution not permitted for medical use under regulations. In this case, the staff nurse responsible for dereliction of duty by using Fevikwik for the child’s treatment has been suspended following a preliminary report and pending further investigation as per rules.”. The previous day, relatives of the nurse had gathered at the hospital and demanded her suspension be cancelled, The New Indian Express reported. “No harm has been caused to the kid and suspension should be revoked,” a relative of the nurse was quoted as saying.
The child is reported to be in good health and authorities are monitoring for any adverse effects. “Fevikwik should not be used on any wounds,” Dr MS Mahesh, a plastic surgeon at Aster CMI Hospital in Bengaluru city told the South First. “Though it may not cause much harm if used on the surface of the skin, using the adhesive inside deeper cuts may cause infections and other complications. A medicated superglue could have been used if the cut was superficial.”.
