Successful operation on the needle boy, Richard a milestone
THE three year old Chipata toddler, Richard Zulu was mysteriously embedded with 44 needles in his body.
This came to light late last year when the boy was found with the needles in his body.
How the needles entered the toddler’s body puzzled not only family but, the whole country.
The medical professionals were in a state of bewilderment when the case was first reported in Chipata late last year. This was a rare medical case and the first of its kind in Zambia. Rosemary Jere, the mother of Richard suspected black magic or witchcraft being practiced on the boy by unknown people with evil motives much to the annoyance of everyone.
The first surgery was conducted on the boy last November at Chipata Central Hospital and 24 needles out of 44 were removed from him. The health status of the boy with needles in his body was not good as he was going to die if he was not treated in good time.
This compelled President Edgar Lungu to direct Minister of Health, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya to have the boy evacuated from Chipata to Lusaka to seek further medical attention at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
The final surgery was conducted by the medical experts on the boy on Monday January 7, 2018 and the remaining 20 needles were removed. The operation lasted for more than three hours.
The boy’s health is reported to be stable. The successful operation on the toddler who had 44 needles in his body is a milestone.
All said and done, I wish to extol our medical doctors from Chipata Central Hospital and the University Teaching Hospital for successfully removed the 44 needles from the boy’s body.
It is good that our medical professionals have reached the stage where they can handle any complicated health problem unlike in the past when some complicated medical conditions could be treated outside the country.
ELEMIYA PHIRI Lusaka
The first surgery was conducted on the boy last November at Chipata Central Hospital and 24 needles out of 44 were removed from him.