Doctor at Chipata Central Hospital have removed 24 of 36 needles from the body of a three-year-old-boy. One other needle came out of the boy’s frail body on its own. Hospital senior medical superintendent Mbinga Mbinga said in an interview yesterday that an emergency operation was conducted on the boy on Friday.

Dr Mbinga said doctors decided to do an emergency operation after the boy developed an infection on the same day. “The boy was taken to a theatre room after he developed an infection. This was an unplanned operation. We wanted to treat the infection but in the process, we managed to remove 24 needles from his body,” he said.

Dr Mbinga said the boy has been put on nutritious diet to improve his weight because he had severe malnutrition when he was taken to the hospital recently. He said the boy is steadily recovering after undergoing the emergency operation. Dr Mbinga said doctors are hoping to remove the remaining 11 needles from the boy’s body during a planned operation which will be conducted when the child has gained a recommended weight.

One needle came out on its own, 24 were removed on Friday, while the remaining 11 will be removed later during a planned operation.
Noah Jere, the father of the boy’s mother, is happy that 25 out of 36 needles have now been removed from the child’s body. Mr Jere said the boy is able to eat after the operation and is hopeful that the remaining needles will soon be removed.

He thanked God, doctors and all people who have been supporting and praying for the quick recovery of his grandson.
Eastern Province Commissioner of Police Lackson Sakala said investigations into how the needles found their way into the toddler’s body are still going on.

The boy’s 19-year-old mother, Rosemary Jere, recently said she does not understand how the needles were imbedded in her son’s body.
Rosemary, who is a Grade Three drop-out and is in a polygamous marriage, has been married twice.   The child had been complaining of a stomach-ache since last year but was only taken to hospital this year and it was only then that the needles were discovered in his body.