Kilifi: Boy's hand swollen with blood and puss oozing after allegedly taking COVID vaccine

A family in Rabai sub-County, Kilifi County, is crying for justice after their son's hand swelled beyond measure with blood flowing freely after allegedly taking a Covid-19 jab.

17-year-old Emmanuel Manjama says that his left hand started to develop complications after taking the Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine at the Mwele Primary School on February 2022.

Initially, Manjama thought the pain was normal from the injection and thus it would ease away after a while, unfortunately, that was not the case.

"There was a lot of pain on the spot where the vaccine was administered. I ignored it hoping it would subside, however, it never did. After some time I found it hard to use my left hand because of the pain,” he said.

The pain was persistent prompting Manjama and his family to seek medical attention at Kombeni Dispensary but medics there only gave him painkillers before referring him to Rabai sub-County hospital.

At the sub-county level, the doctors requested an X-ray photo which he says the senior doctors told him that his hand was okay but then referred him to Kilifi County Hospital.

"After the first X-ray, they told me that the needle had touched the bone but I should wait for a senior doctor. When the senior doctor came, he requested for another X-ray and the results were that my hand was okay. They then referred me to Kilifi County Hospital for a further check-up," Manjama adds.

By now, Manjama's hand had swollen beyond measure with puss and blood flowing freely forcing his mother Medza Magongo to abandon her day-to-day activities to help him.

"I have had to stop going to work so that I can take care of my son. He cannot walk to the toilet. We have fundraised to take him to the hospital but we are now stuck. Any well-wisher who can help us find treatment is highly welcome," Magongo says.

However, just like at the sub-county level, Manjama did not receive help at the county level prompting his parents to take him to Coast General Hospital (CGH) where a ray of hope presented itself but was cut short over to financial constraints.

At the CGH, the family says the hospital requested Magnetic Resonance Imaging which cost KSh35,000, money they couldn't raise.

Following the incidents, Kilifi County reported the matter to the Ministry of Health which instructed them to conduct investigations and establish if the matter was caused by the vaccine.

'Family not cooperating'

However, Kilifi director for Medical Services Hassan Khamis says the county has been trying to help the boy but the family is not cooperating.

"We dispatched a vehicle and even sent money to the family to bring him to Kilifi but they did not," he says.

Khamis says the county government will take care of the medical bills if the family cooperates.

"We have an MRI machine in Malindi and we can do the MRI there. This is a case of great concern and we cannot abandon the family,” he said.