This archive report was first published on 15 November 2019.
Doctors Diagnose Nandi Soap Eating Sisters with Severe Iron Deficiency ¶
Published on November 15, 2019
Doctors at the Oak Tree Hospital in Eldoret have diagnosed two sisters from Nandi County who have a rare appetite for soap with severe iron deficiency.
The two girls, Sharon Chepchirchir and her sister Lydia Chepkemboi, are said to have undergone a series of tests and it was established they had acute low iron levels.
According to the hospital's lead consultant Mathew Koech, more thorough tests will be conducted on the siblings before they conclude a medical report on their condition.
"Our analysis is revealing there is severe iron deficiency in the siblings' bodies and our next step is to find out how their bodies are unable to absorb iron despite their normal eating habits," he said.
Three samples of soap, Lido, Sawa, and Jamaa, which were thought to be the sister's favorites had also been taken to a lab at the University of Eldoret for chemical analysis.
This will help the medical practitioners to understand why the two siblings' bodies do not adequately absorb iron from the food they consume.
According to the doctor, 17-year-old Chepkemboi exhibited out of proportion' low iron levels in the blood adding that their blood samples have been taken to South Africa for more analysis.
"The results from South Africa will inform us if the soap eating disorder is linked to genetics or it is just a craving," he added.
The siblings stunned the country after going public with confessions of their insatiable craving for laundry and bath soaps.
Sharon Chepchirchir said, "I do not know why I eat soap but I enjoy it. I discovered my appetite for soap when I was five years old."
She has never had stomach upsets, irritation in her mouth, or any other health problem as a result of eating soap.
She has desperately been working hard to stop eating soap and has even tried a divine intervention after their grandmother said they had been cursed and spent Sh10,000 on prayers to no avail.
