Doctors from the Kapenguria Referral County Hospital found seven hand sewing needles lodged in the body of a three-year-old girl in West Pokot County.
The baby from Keringet village had been taken to Kapenguria referral hospital on Tuesday with stomach pains where doctors conducted an X-ray that confirmed she had seven needles in her abdomen.
Speaking to the press in his Kapenguria office, County Health Chief officer Ibrahim Longolomoi noted it was the first case of that nature to be reported at the hospital and suspected that the child could have been mistreated.
He further maintained that the baby had too much pain when palpitating thus the doctors decided to conduct an X-ray when the needles were observed.
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Longolomoi added that medics who recommended for further treatment established that the needles were inserted in the child’s body, rather than swallowing them.
The baby's grandparents Emily Linga’a and John Linga'a who have been living with her stated that the girl had been ailing over the past two years but they were not aware of what caused her sickness.
Her grandmother Mrs Emily Linga’a maintained they had no idea how the needles got into her abdomen in the first place.
According to Mrs Linga'a, the baby's mother left the girl with her grandparents after she got married to another man.
“At first, I thought the baby had worms. It was unimaginable that she had needles in her body. I had even concluded that maybe she had malaria,” Mrs Linga'a stated.
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The grandfather Mr John Lingaa who does menial jobs stated he was traumatized by the doctors' report as he pleaded to well-wishers to help their grandchild undergo surgery.
