Faith Chipala's story

Malice Kapasula (32) from Ndirande Township in Blantyre, Malawi tells us how her 3 month old daughter Faith became ill in May 2015.

On 27th April Faith became sick so I took her to Ndirande health facility and she was triaged by the Action Meningitis project and given a yellow ruler which meant she was seen as a priority by the doctor who referred us to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital. 

She was admitted as she was coughing a lot and they thought she had pneumonia. She was discharged from hospital on 13th May but on 17th May she became sick again and I thought the pneumonia had come back again.

In the middle of the night Faith started having difficulties in breathing and had a high fever so we just took her straight to the Ndirande clinic to get medical help. They said Faith was very sick and we had to go back to QECH for treatment but before we left they gave her an injection.  

When we got to the hospital the nurses weighed her and took her temperature. Then she was taken into the resuscitation room because she was having difficulties in breathing so she was put on oxygen and given another injection. The doctors said she had meningitis and we have been in the hospital for 10 days so far.

Faith is now recovering and seems to have no after effects but she was born with a small head and her legs are folded together. I hope that Faith has a bright future and she is going recover very well.

Faith’s sickness has brought a big impact on the family because I cannot work in my job selling water and I have three other children. The oldest is 13 years, one is 9 years and the other one is 6 years, two boys and one girl and they have been looked after by their father whilst I have been in the hospital with Faith so he has not been able to work either.

Now I have experience of meningitis I would be able to spot it if anyone else became sick. I have told my husband and some of my relatives about the disease and will tell more people in my village when I get back home that they need to get medical attention quickly and what to look for when one is sick.

Malice Kapasula
October 2015