Daisy N., 16

Daisy is a 16-year-old girl and the second born in a family of four children. She lives with her parents and siblings in a rural village where the family struggles to make ends meet. Their main source of income is her mother, who works as a waitress at a local hotel and earns about KSh 100 per day, an amount that is insufficient to provide for the family's basic needs. Daisy is a polite, responsible, and hardworking student who enjoys reading and playing netball. She hopes to become a nurse in the future so she can care for the sick and improve her family's living conditions. Three days before admission, she developed severe abdominal pain, high fever, headache, persistent vomiting, and extreme weakness. Despite taking paracetamol at home, her condition worsened. After recalling a Helpster Charity community outreach, her mother took her to Bokoli Sub-County Hospital, where investigations confirmed severe malaria. Due to the severity of her illness, she was admitted for close monitoring and treatment.

Doctors explained that with prompt diagnosis and proper treatment, Daisy is expected to make a full recovery from Malaria. The antimalarial medication will eliminate the parasites from her body, while the intravenous (IV) fluids will help restore hydration and improve her overall condition. As the treatment takes effect, her fever will subside, the headache and abdominal pain will resolve, the vomiting will stop, and her strength and appetite will gradually return. By completing the prescribed oral medication and attending follow-up visits if advised, Daisy is expected to resume her normal daily activities and continue with her education without long-term effects. However, doctors warned that if malaria is left untreated, it can rapidly progress to severe malaria, which is a life-threatening condition. The infection can destroy large numbers of red blood cells, leading to severe anaemia, and may affect the brain, kidneys, lungs, and other vital organs. Untreated malaria can also cause convulsions, confusion, difficulty breathing, coma, and, in severe cases, death. For this reason, the doctors emphasized the importance of seeking medical care as soon as symptoms of malaria appear, completing the full course of prescribed medication, and taking preventive measures such as sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets to reduce the risk of future infections.