Mitchelle R., 18

Mitchelle is an 18-year-old girl and the eldest of three siblings. She is calm, enjoys volleyball and reading, and dreams of becoming a teacher. Following her father’s death, she lives with her grandmother and six cousins, while her siblings stay with other relatives. They share a two-room semi-permanent house without electricity. Her grandmother is the main caregiver and depends on small-scale farming and occasional financial support from Mitchelle’s mother whenever she finds casual work. Mitchelle developed abdominal pain, cough and fever lasting about four days. She had not taken any medication because the family could not afford to purchase it. Her condition progressively worsened, and she began vomiting repeatedly and was unable to retain food or fluids. Concerned, her grandmother asked a neighbour who operates a boda boda to take her to hospital. Mitchelle had learned through school and classmates about support provided by Helpster Charity to vulnerable patients at the facility. Following assessment, she was diagnosed with severe malaria and admitted for appropriate inpatient treatment and monitoring.

Mitchelle was diagnosed with severe malaria after presenting with persistent fever, abdominal pain, weakness and repeated vomiting with inability to retain food or fluids. Her condition requires inpatient antimalarial treatment, careful hydration and monitoring for complications such as severe anaemia, hypoglycaemia, electrolyte disturbances and organ dysfunction. With timely treatment and a good clinical response, her prognosis is favourable, although continued monitoring until she is clinically stable is important.