Eunice N., 19

Nasimiyu is the eldest child in a family of seven. She dropped out of school in Standard Six due to lack of school fees and later joined a group of peers in the village who were involved in selling illicit alcohol to make a living. She comes from an extremely impoverished village characterized by high levels of illiteracy and poor infrastructure. Nasimiyu and her family live in a modest three-room mud-walled house with a corrugated iron sheet roof. Her father, the sole breadwinner, works as a boda boda rider, earning less than KSh 300 a day, which barely covers the family's daily basic needs. About a week ago, Nasimiyu began experiencing symptoms including headache, dizziness, blurred vision, joint weakness, excessive sweating, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Upon medical examination, it was discovered that she is a known case of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, although she has not been attending follow-up clinics and has been relying on over-the-counter medications. She was also diagnosed with severe malaria accompanied by hyperglycaemia. A patient with both hypertension and diabetes mellitus who presents with hyperglycemia may stay in the hospital longer because both high blood sugar and high blood pressure need close monitoring and strict control to avoid serious complications like stroke, kidney failure, or heart attack. Managing both conditions together requires daily lab tests, multiple medications, IV fluids, and insulin infusions—all of which increase the cost of care.

Eunice Nasimiyu presented to the facility with severe headache, dizziness, blurred vision, joint pain, excessive sweating, vomiting, poor feeding, and general body weakness. She was diagnosed with severe malaria and was also a known patient with diabetes and hypertension, though she had not been on regular follow-up. She was admitted and started on antimalarial treatment, blood sugar control, and blood pressure management. Her condition gradually improved, and after several days of treatment, she fully recovered and was discharged in stable condition. She expressed gratitude to Helpster Charity for supporting her access to complete treatment, which she had previously been unable to afford due to financial constraints. She is progressing well, with the medication that she was given upon discharge and was counseled on finding ways, in one way or another, to be able to purchase her medication

Nasimiyu's condition was treated and managed, and if the condition could have not been managed, could have resulted to complications as cerebral malaria, severe anemia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome and cardiovascular disease among others.