The three year old boy with 44 needles and wires embedded in his body has been evacuated from Chipata Central Hospital to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) following a directive by President Edgar Lungu.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya who was accompanied by Presidential Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe and Chipata Central Member of Parliament Moses Mawere yesterday led a team of experts from UTH to assess the condition of the toddler before he was evacuated.
Dr Chilufya explained that the boy has been evacuated for further treatment because some of the needles and wires were found in the liver, intestines and the diaphragm and will require more specialized care.
He told journalists that the case is a complicated one that will require more expertise for his recovery.
Dr Chilufya noted that the boy’s unique case has drawn interest both locally and internationally.
He commended the team of doctors at Chipata Central Hospital for the way they resuscitated the boy who was in a critical condition when he was brought to the facility on October 22, this year.
Dr. Chilufya stated that government has not only improved infrastructure in the health sector but also placed skilled human resource in all health facilities in a quest to ensure universal health coverage.
He said Chipata Central Hospital is a living testimony as evidenced by the way the complicated case of the young boy has been managed.
Dr Chilufya noted that the child who weighed seven Kilogrammes when he was first admitted to Chipata Central Hospital after being referred from Namuseche Prison Clinic, now weighs 9.2 kilogrammes.
And Presidential Affairs Minister, Freedom Sikazwe has commended doctors at the health facility for their dedication to duty following the manner they handled the boy’s case.
And the boy’s mother, 19 year old Rosemary Jere said she was shocked to learn that her son was found with the needles and wires in his body despite that he has been sickly.
A month ago, young Richard was admitted to the Chipata Central Hospital where 25 of the 44 needles that where lodged in his body in what are so far inexplicable circumstances, have been removed.
Yesterday, Republican President Edgar Lungu commissioned the Health Minister to travel to the Eastern Province to facilitate the evacuation of the Child to UTH.
The Health Minister then led a delegation which included the Presidential Affairs Minister, Hon. Freedom Sikazwe, the Minister of youth and Sport, Hon. Moses Mawere and the Kasenengwa Lawmaker, Hon. Sensio Banda with Medical experts from the University Teaching Hospital, to Chipata Central Hospital, to facilitate the evacuation of the boy.
It is expected that the remaining 19 needles, some of which are lodged in the liver of the child, will be successfully removed.
The case of little Richard who has been dubbed the Miracle Child by Journalists has sent shock waves around the country as nothing of its kind has been witnessed before.
Several people talked to including the mother to the child have said that it can only be an act of witchcraft whilst others have said its possibly one of the worst forms of child abuse recorded in the country.
Investigations are still on going by the law enforcement officials in Chipata.
The Minister of Health has stated that the evacuation of little Richard is evidence of the Presidents commitment to provide the necessary health care to Citizens without leaving anyone behind.
Member of Parliament Moses Mawere and the the boy’s mother, 19 year old Rosemary Jere
Surly if the president himself will have to issue a directive then what’s the point of having the minister of health. Some times I wonder what these so called ministers are there for. The moment there is a directive then you see all ministers visiting the boy. It’s a shame.
To UTH?? That’s scary.
Instead of firing those inhumane ministers, Ba Lungu has to beg and offer them a jet to go and work? And how much allowances are those 4 ministers going to collect over the baby? Msiska need tell us.
Anyway GOOD job you PF ministers, I wish you were doing this.
What was Freedom Sikazwe’s task on that team, was it to diagnose if it is act of Witchcraft?
Not just the Minister of health surely you mean the Doctors couldn’t tell that this is a UTH case that requires more specialized treatment. This sort of playing politics is very retrogressive I am sure the Doctor in Chipata treating this child recommended that he be evacuated to UTH but thanks to politicians they had to make it sound like it came from ECL. Bwafya in Africa I tell you….we are primates still in development
And why can’t the system just work the way it normally does ? There are many cases referred to UTH that we never even get to hear about …now since this case has garnered alot of public interest and media coverage these chaps have to play politics …so now Lungus “kindness” has been evoked. Next from UTH it will be South Africa after the President visits the boy. Kutumpa uku so the many special cases across Zambia if they never get the President’s attention then they are $cr#wed? Why do we accept mediocrity so easily?
Is this normal??…The Health Minister then led a delegation which included the Presidential Affairs Minister, Hon. Freedom Sikazwe, the Minister of youth and Sport, Hon. Moses Mawere and the Kasenengwa Lawmaker, Hon. Sensio Banda with Medical experts from the University Teaching Hospital, to Chipata Central Hospital, to facilitate the evacuation of the boy.
I think this is just some greedy people getting cheap political mileage at the expense of the poor child. Does the Govt need to spend all that money(allowances) on that big delegation to evacuate just one poor child?
Let’s roll …
We shouldn’t blame the doctors, doctors probably saw (in their professional opinion) there was no need for referral to UTH. The health policy is to blame. Each and every hospital in Zambia has a committee setup to avoid for such, the president shouldn’t be intervening in medical matters, because one day it might look like the president favors certain people over others. Medical evacuations should only reach as far as the Health ministers’ office.
They are turning the little boy into a political football. Why such a big political delegation escorting him to hospital? Ukulwisha ukumonekela ati ba president bambone. Where have you been all along ba fidumbo mafuta BOnse imwe?
Did HH go there before?
@1.1, As scary as HH trying to president? You Ha right!
Well done Chipata medical personal! We are in much prayer for the boy.
This issue was reported a long time ago in the media. Mr. Minister, where have you been along. It means without the instruction from the President who can not yourself make a decision to serve and save this young life. Why should all instructions be at the mercy of our president, this practice is unacceptable.
I agree with you Wisdom – totally unacceptable. Another worrying thing is that all the women activists and organizations are so quiet on this issue – I am so disappointed, if it were a girl child – you would have seen how much restlessness this case would have generated.
Sikazwe is a witchdoctor he can heal the boy.
And that’s why I always support the stoning to death of witches. Those people have no mercy. Stop saying old people have dementia when caught doing witchcraft. Death by stoning should be their verdict.
HH is a witch doctor he can witchdoctor the boy.
Strange things happen in this world indeed! We can only humbly petition the almight ,the giver of life to look kindly upon this child so that the next operation is executed successfully.
Nothing strange about this case…am surprised the mother has not be questioned by the police!!
HH must be questioned before they should question the mother.
Really? The whole entire president of a country has to direct a whole entire health minister of a country to constitute a high powered delegation to fly 1500 Kim’s just to determine that a small boy with an obvious medical situation needs to be evacuated to a higher level care hospital? What’s wrong with you picture somebody? Am I missing something here?
Points they are scoring points. It’s not the boy’s health they are concerned about
This phenomenon is pure witchcraft. Don’t even try to operate the boy otherwise he will die. Envolve prayerful Christians to pray.I have witnessed this phenomenon here in Botswana. The ending was unfortunately tragic on the pastor who prayed for the victim through the victim herself is still alive.
25 out of 44 needles have already been removed successfully. Don’t bend too much to witchcraft and all that spiritual BS. Science is the answer. The world is about to learn something here.
Watch space.
It is expected that the remaining 19 needles, some of which are lodged in the liver of the child, will be successfully removed.
How are they going to remove the needles from the liver without harming the child?
Do you people understand the anatomy of the body? How can science explain this?
@katana I doubt we are being told the correct story here. I’m sure the real story is about to unravel. With such poor reporting we can only wait for a report on Google to help us understand this
This is strange indeed,may the Lord give wisdom to the doctors as they work on this child.May the Lord help them make right decisions as they do the work.AMEN.
Apparently he has refused to give wisdom to Zambian politicians to end poverty. Instead he has blessed the Muslims, the Shintuists, and the Buddhists.
You can pray all you want, but if you put your brain in a refrigerator, nothing will happen. You gotta think plan and act. There’s no blessing greater than that. Essentially you bless yourself
The less of you religious bible bashing foooooools the better …as no solution can be found but prayers to your white Jesus
You have been more a fuu than the ones you Ha bashing little tribal boy.
This is very worrying if it has to take the President to issue a directive for such an obvious thing. Well done President Lungu
The questions are how did the needles get in there in the first place and which household keeps 42 needles?
There was exactly same situation in Zimbabwe about 6 months ago. The mother was on radio. Not sure how it ended
This is a Spiritual problem and will require a spiritual intervention. If this intervention is not done quickly, we will lose the beautiful innocent life.
Comment:my God heal the small boy he’s just an angel.
Has anyone explained how the needles got into little Richard? That he is alive is a miracle.
#Chilufyaisreal father. I like the way he is holding the kid. Keep it up Hon. Chilufya….
This is very strange I believe it has no scientific explanation for now.
They are studying the phenomenon.
Think right.
Imwe naime there is no supernatural , this is just ignorance in silly outdated beliefs leading to attempted murder of a toddler…
Find the parents witchdocter or shagoboo and you will find the culprit ….or even the pastor were they pray….
And looking at the whole picture it is sad the only the alpha and omega of PF , lungu has the power over life or death of sick citizens of our beautiful country.
It is lungus prerogative if you live or die. Sad.
It is CHILDISH’ prerogative if you have sense or not.
Imwe naime there is no supernatural , this is just ignorance in silly outdated beliefs leading to attempted murder of a toddler…
Find the parents witchdocter and you will find the culprit ….or even the pastor were they pray….
And looking at the whole picture it is sad the only the alpha and omega of PF , lungu has the power over life or death of sick citizens of our beautiful country.
It is lungus prerogative if you live or die. Sad.
CHILDISH.
criticisers.
44 needles don’t just enter the human body, a toddler’s for that matter by accident. There must be someone responsible for this within the boy’s closer environment.
While doctors are doing the very difficult job of surgery, law enforcers better make sure the culprits don’t get away with this act of wickedness. Meanwhile, let’s all remember the little boy in our prayers. Little ones are usually protected from harm in a very special way.
case of this child is strange. hope life can be saved
I was informed that in Lungu’s regime a girl who is below 21 is considered to be still a teenage and in that case the mother is 19….is there any statement issued about child abuse. however its a shocking incident.
Dr Chilufya mush retained be HH once he forms government. Not Sikawe manuingi bu ZAF
#21 I meant must.
Please just take the boy Ku church or Ku ng’anga this is beyond UTH.Ba na mulowa how can one have 44 needles and we say its a medical condition.
Come on let us face facts here. How do they conclude that those are wires and needles??? One can’t have wires and needles in the lever and other parts of the body and still be alive. They my appear or look like that, but for sure not wires and needles
Let the boy evaucated to some Western Europen Country for further checks, otherwise we shall end up losing him. He as now lived for 3 years
They removed some. That’s how they where able to tell
Correction
Let the boy be evacuated to some Western European Country for further checks, otherwise we shall end up losing him. He as now lived for 3 years
All of this is stupidity, what is the role of physicians?? Stupid stupid Africans
People let’s focus on the boy and how needles and wires where found. Not everything is about politics. We seem to know everything about politicians but about how the boy has the needles in the body we fail even to comment
Please take the innocent baby for prayers. It happened in nigeria where a Ghanaian girl had several injections in her body. The medical professionals openly advised that that was beyond their means. She was taken to nigeria scoan specifically and the girl is still fine.
Good the boy is still alive and I hope he gets the correct professional assessment and treatment.
On the other hand, it is shameful how politicians are quick to capitalize on this through the usual populist tendencies. They should be working to ensure the health system in the country is fit for purpose for so many other cases that go unreported – and people die needlessly. The fact that the politicians themselves are always quick to send each other out of the country for treatment shows they are aware of the dire shortcomings in the health system. Hence the maneuvers to be at the forefront of any apparent health success. I know there are a number of good local doctors that are frustrated by a lack of political commitment to valuing their work, equipping the health system and tackling…
… corrupt practices
Corrupt HH?
Serious journalism would be explaining what illness this is. Needles in the liver? And you just leave it at that?
Reporters would be sourcing doctors and various scientists to explain how this happens and how often it does. Mu Zambia they only know how to cover the president
The health minister, has a golden heart, the way his holding the toddler, so much love..poor child ,its a miracle his still alive,healing mercy upon him…
I do not believe the witchcraft theory that’s being painted here !! In psychiatry, we see a lot of people with needles and other foreign bodies inserted into their bodies ,on the background of mental illness. These are mostly young adults.
In this situation of a 3 year old , it’s possible that the child has been neglected and has ended up inserting/ ingesting foreign bodies unknowingly or someone has done this to the child; I dont mean through witchcraft !! Ever heard of munchausen syndrome by proxy ? It’s a factitious disorder where someone imposes an illness on someone else to draw attention or sympathy onto themselves .This case should be investigated properly and not primitively _ it’s possibility a child safeguarding issue that needs the attention of psychiatry , social…
Pyuwa witch craft. I know who did this!
To me it is a miracle that the little boy has survived 44 needles in his tender body! Now people, if it is not witchcraft, honestly what is it? What kind of medical condition in which needles are found in the body of a little one?