April 19, 2007
Asimwe's Recovery
Chien-Chi Chang
A mother and child wait outside the children’s ward at the Kabale Regional Hospital. Chien-Chi Chang/Magnum on Malaria
Kabale, Uganda: I always have a bit of dread before I enter a children's ward of a hospital. I've been to several through the years in a number of developing countries and today, being in the largest hospital of southern Uganda, serving 1.5 million people, was no different. Thirty metal and thinly mattressed beds, all occupied with children, none older than 5, filled the Kabale Regional Hospital and not surprisingly 30 to 40 percent of the cases were due to malaria.
Last week, Annette Kyarikunda's daughter Asimwe had a high fever, was losing consciousness and falling down frequently.
Annette quickly decided to bring her only child directly to the Kabale Regional Hospital. She paid for a motorcycle, which serves as a taxi in Kabale, to bring them here. The cost of the ride was about 4 dollars - nearly the same as what she makes in a couple days. I can only imagine how difficult the ride must have been along the uneven dirt roads with your sick child strapped to your back.
Annette Kyarikunda consoles her daughter Asimwe in the children’s ward of the Kabale Regional Hospital. Asimwe arrived with an acute case of cerebral malaria which was treated immediately. Both mother and daughter are in better spirits after six nights at the hospital. Chien-Chi Chang/Magnum on Malaria
Asimwe arrived to the children’s ward with a severe case of cerebral malaria, which quickly attacks the brain and is especially acute in young children. She was given a quinine intravenous drip and has since recovered well.
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Published on the Magnum Blog on April 19, 2007
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