How stepping on a nail cost me my leg

Alice Gitau show her artificail leg fitted at Cure Kenya in Kijabe Prosthetics workshop. [George Njunge, Standard]

When Alice Gitau, 32, stepped on a rusty nail in Nairobi more than 10 years ago, she did not give it much thought and delayed to go for a tetanus jab. The leg healed, but a year later she developed a painful swelling on her left foot that forced her to seek medical attention at Murang’a hospital, where it was discovered that it was rotting.

Tetanus had infected the foot and was now moving up the leg. Doctors could not save the leg and after one year, it was amputated at the knee joint. “I have never been more worried and hopeless like I was when my leg was amputated; I had to rely on crutches to move around and do chores,” says Alice.