Fatima U., 18

Life is a daily struggle for many at Gwange in the heart of Maiduguri. Among them is Fatima Umar, an 18year old girl with dreams as vibrant as the tomatoes she sold in front of their house. Fatima Umar had always longed for education, but financial challenges made it a distant dream. Instead, she found herself learning the ways of the world through the rhythm of the market to earn a living. Fatima Umar finds happiness in the little things she do and hope posterity favors her. It started with a slight discomfort in her throat, which Fatima brushed off as a mere sore throat. She continued her daily routine, tending to her family's needs and knitting her cap. But soon, the discomfort grew into a persistent running nose. Few days later, she experienced headache and chill that left her weak and unhealthy. She felt weak and nauseous, barely able to keep food down. As Fatima slowly began to recover, she started experiencing severe abdominal pain and bloating. Her appetite dwindled, and she lost significant weight until she was brought to Nakowa. Fatima was evaluated and diagnosed with Malaria, enteric fever, acute respiratory tract infection, and helminthiasis.

Fatima Umar came to the hospital with fever, headache, cough, runny nose, and abdominal pain. After some tests, she was told she had a respiratory infection, malaria with typhoid, and worm infection. She received appropriate treatment and started feeling better after a few days.

If Fatima Umar does not receive urgent medical attention, the ARTI can lead to severe respiratory complications like pneumonia. The Malaria + Enteric Fever can cause organ failure, severe dehydration, and death. Helminthiasis in her can result in severe nutritional deficiencies, organ damage, and impaired growth.