Esther M., 21

Esther lives with her mom, who is raising her alone. Esther is a hardworking girl who enjoys gardening and cooking. She wanted to be a teacher, but couldn't afford school fees, so she had to stop going to school. Recently, Esther hasn't been feeling well. She's been using painkillers from the nearby pharmacy to help with the pain, but it's not getting better. So, they decided to take her to Bokoli Sub County Hospital for treatment.

Esther had been unwell for quite some time and had been given over the counter medication, with the mother hoping that this will bring an improvement but there was no improvement. She was brought to the hospital looking quite frail as she had been vomiting for the past few days. She was immediately put on intravenous fluids to boost her hydration status. Laboratory tests revealed that she was suffering from malaria and she was put on medication for this too. She improved and was discharged

Malaria should be treated promptly with the use of antimalarial drugs. If left untreated, it can lead to severe complications and even death. It can result in organ failure, severe anemia, neurological issues, and in some cases, prove fatal, making early diagnosis and treatment crucial for preventing these life-threatening consequences.