A Mother-To-Be's Fight Against Malaria
APRIL 25, 2024
A MOTHER-TO-BE’S FIGHT AGAINST MALARIA
Tracy Anena is a 23-year-old first-time expectant mother. One day, she began feeling exhausted and nauseous and started having frequent headaches.
She initially dismissed these symptoms and attributed them to the exhaustion of completing everyday household tasks while being six months pregnant. Additionally, the scarcity of resources and unmanageable costs charged by healthcare facilities left her hesitant to seek treatment.
Yet Tracy was concerned not only for herself but also for the health of her unborn child. She did not know what to do.
Two days after experiencing her initial symptoms, Tracy was rushed to Lacor Hospital in the early hours of the morning with more severe symptoms, including high fever, vomiting, and chills. She was in a lot of pain and likened her fever to sitting in a sauna.
Joyce Anena, a senior midwife at Lacor Hospital, explained that pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to malaria. Changes in their immune systems during pregnancy and the placenta's presence as a new target for parasites diminish their resistance to malaria infection. Midwives urge expectant mothers to remain vigilant against malaria symptoms, emphasizing the potential for miscarriage and complications.
This story also highlights a broader challenge many in her community face. While uncomplicated malaria is treated free of charge at Lacor Hospital, complicated cases often require artesunate to be administered by an IV, which the World Health Organization recommends for severe cases. The exorbitant cost, however, frequently leaves many patients struggling to afford adequate treatment.
Tracy's journey symbolizes the silent struggle waged by countless women and families in malaria-endemic regions. She spoke of numerous women in her community who share the same fears and uncertainties about safeguarding their unborn children from malaria.
Please consider donating to Lacor Hospital in honor of World Malaria Day. It costs $75 to treat one patient with a severe, complicated malaria case. Your donation will also ensure that Lacor can continue to offer free treatment to patients with uncomplicated cases of this disease.