Shock, disbelief for family as boy’s hand amputated

Tanga. The family of Kilimangwiko Secondary School student Salim Richard, 14, of Pangani District was in shock and disbelief after seeing their boy with an amputated right hand.

Salim situation has been talk of the town with reports emerging that the family was divided on whether to give a go ahead for the operation to take place or not.

Salim’s right hand has been amputated in the shoulder following medical observations that if the operation was not to be carried out, then the hand would have rotten hence causing more health problems.

“My son, your hand has been amputated; it means you’ll never be able to fend for yourself. I had put all my hopes in you praying that someday you’d become the bread winner of the family provided you studied hard,” lamented Salim’s father Richard John.

After the operation, Salim was admitted to Sokoine Ward, famous as Ward Number Four at Bombo Regional Hospital in Tanga.

Salim’s sister Hadija Mashaka pleaded with the government to offer support to Salim so that he would continue with his studies.

“Just as you can see my uncle over there, he’s crying all the time for his son. He has lost all hope on his son. He is wondering how Salim would be able to make the trips to and from school on a bicycle, and their home is located far in the village. The trip takes about an hour,” Hadija told The Citizen.

What is behind the amputation of Salim’s hand

Hadija told The Citizen that on March 8, Salim suffered a fracture as he was playing football with his mates at Meka Village, Ubangaa Ward where his family resides.

She said after sustaining the fracture, the boy was rushed to Pangani District Hospital where on March 9, he was referred to Bombo Regional Referral Hospital where he hand was placed in a cast, famous as POP, and was discharged from the hospital.

“As you’re all aware, most youth are naught. When he was sent home, he didn’t take good care of the hand. Then, from inside the hand started rotting,” said Hadija.

She said that on the night of last Thursday, they could not sleep a wink because the boy was in huge pains. This forced them to send him back to Bombo Hospital for further investigations.

The pull-a-pull on whether the hand should be amputated or not

There was a dispute within the family, said Richard, the father, saying relatives on the boy’s mother’s side rejected the idea of him having his hand amputated, noting that it was because these uncles had not seen the boy.

“I thought it a good idea before appending my signature to the hospital documents for permits to have the hand amputated, that I should involve his uncles because his mother passed away two years ago. But, they rejected the idea and even said that they would not be responsible for anything that would happen to him,” said Richard.

However, the father said that when the uncles paid the boy a visit and saw his condition, they immediately supported his (father’s) idea, a decision, he said, which was very difficult to make.

“The doctors had scheduled to make the amputation last Friday but following a train accident, all medics and nurses were working with the victims of the accident. But day before yesterday (Wednesday) he was taken to the theatre and upon returning, he had no right hand,” lamented Richard.

The boy’s father dismissed claims that the boy’s hand started rotting because he had taken him to a herbalist, saying that ever since the boy was involved in the accident he had not taken him anywhere else other than to Pangani District Hospital and Bombo Regional Referral Hospital.

Social welfare officer speaks

A social welfare officer at Bombo Regional Referral Hospital, Mwanaidi Nyarukunyo, said her office was ready to intervene in the saga after seeing that the boy’s condition was deteriorating as the family engaged in a dispute whether to allow the amputation or not.

“We discussed the matter with the father that if the family would not end their dispute, then would take the matter to court to ask for permission to have the boy’s hand amputated so as to save his life,” said Mwanaidi.

The officer said that they decided to act in that manner after having obtained doctors’ explanations that as days passed, the condition of the hand was getting worse and that this could put the boy’s life in danger.

An orthopedic surgeon at Bombo Regional Referral Hospital, Dr Joseph Nangawe, said the condition of the boy’s hand had deteriorated so much that there was no other solution but to have the hand amputated.

"Family members were objecting to the decision, but if there were any delays, the boy’s life would have been at risk,” said Dr Nangawe.