Collins Kiprono, a 39-year-old man residing in Telanet village, Kericho County, is seeking help from well-wishers and the government to raise funds for medical attention.
Kiprono has been living with bullets lodged in his chest for the past 16 years. He said that he was hit by stray bullets during the 2007/2008 post-election violence in Kericho town on December 26, 2007.
Concerned about his deteriorating health, Kiprono believes the lead bullets may have leaked into his bloodstream, causing his health problems.
He urgently requires a CT scan to assess the extent of the damage caused by the bullets.
In an interview at his home, Kiprono expressed his health worries. He was quoted, “I am always worried about my fate, and it is not easy to live with bullets in your body.”
Visible permanent marks on his back confirm that the bullets entered his body from behind before they lodged in his chest cavity.
Surprisingly, despite having bullets lodged in his body, Kiprono is still his family’s breadwinner. To earn a livelihood for his family, Kiprono roasts maize and sells it at Kapsoit Market. His health challenges forced him to abandon farming, which was his previous source of income.
Despite his daily hustle roasting maize since 2015, his earnings are insufficient to cover all his family’s basic needs, let alone seek medical assistance.
Over the past three years, Kiprono has been unable to make National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) contributions. This has resulted in a lack of access to regular medical insurance. He is now appealing for medical and financial assistance to address his deteriorating health.
“From July 2013, I have defaulted on my Sh500 per month National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) contributions. I used to engage in casual work but the money I would get paid would all go to feeding my young family of three. Currently, my two daughters are in primary school, my eldest is in Class 8 and I am not able to go for another CT scan to confirm my health status,” added a worried Kiprono.
Recalling the fateful day in 2007, Kiprono narrated how he encountered a crowd in Kericho town as police dispersed demonstrators. Panic-stricken, he started running without direction, only to suddenly feel weak and sweaty.
To his horror, he suddenly discovered blood on his torn shorts. That was when he realized that he had been shot by the police.
He was rushed to the Kericho County Referral Hospital for an operation and subsequent admission. However, doctors opted not to remove the bullets, fearing it would be fatal. Kiprono received the shocking news of the lodged bullets from the attending doctors.
His family later took him to Tenwek Mission Hospital, where an x-ray confirmed the presence of bullets in his body. The doctors advised regular medical checkups, but due to financial constraints, Kiprono could not adhere to the recommendation.
As the family’s breadwinner, Kiprono’s deteriorating health has put additional strain on his wife, Caroline Chepkoech. Despite the challenges, she has chosen to stand by him, hopeful that he will receive the necessary assistance.
Kiprono’s family appeals for help, and they can be reached at 0711 868834 or 0723 401633.
