Medics at Thika Level 5 Hospital Remove 13 Needles from 10-Month-Old Girl

Doctors at Thika Level 5 Hospital have successfully removed 13 sewing needles from a 10-month-old baby.

Speaking to the media from the hospital bed, the baby’s mother, Jacinta Ndunge said she discovered the needles after she was pricked while applying jelly on her infant's bottoms.

31-year-old Ndunge informed the doctors of the needle after the baby was admitted at the facility with Pneumonia. She was referred for an Xray, which revealed 14 needles in her body.

Medics the carried out an emergency surgery and removed 13 needles, but one was left because it had penetrated to the hip bone and needs specialized attention to extract. Kiambu County Chief Officer in charge of Health Andrew Toro, said removing the remaining needle could damage the baby's tissues as it is lodged too deep inside one of the bones.

“Removing an object like that from the child’s body is dangerous and could damage blood vessels, nerves, trigger infections and could even cause death.” said Toro.

When questioned, Ms. Ndunge could not explain how the needles found their way inside her daughter’s body.