Talandila Namondwe's story

Elube Namondwe  from Mbayani township in Blanytre, Malawi tells Aspire the story of how her 6 week old daughter Talandila became sick in October 2014. 

My daughter first became sick when she was only 6 weeks old at the beginning of October.

I first thought that Talandila had malaria as her body temperature was so high. I had to wait for a day to get medical help as the health centre was closed on Sunday, but on Monday I walked to our nearest health centre, which is at Chilomoni.  

They looked at Talandila but did not test her for anything or tell me what they thought was wrong but prescribed some medication which they did not have at the health facility. They said I would have to buy it myself at the pharmacy.

They didn’t refer Talandila to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), but as I didn’t have the money to buy the medicine that was prescribed for my daughter I decided to go to QECH to get medical attention.

When I got to QECH I was told to go to the nearest health centre because I had not been referred by my health centre. They suggested I go next door to Getway health facility to get a referral. Talandila was tested for malaria and the results were negative but because of her condition, she was very weak and had a very high temperature, they referred us back to QECH. 

When we got to QECH for the second time we were taken into the emergency room as Talandila was having problems breathing. Although the negative malaria test results were written in the health passport, the doctors still thought it was malaria so they did yet another malaria test and these results were negative too. The doctors thought she may have meningitis so did a lumbar puncture but the results were not yet out. They gave her some injections and she was put on oxygen for her breathing problems.

I have four other children who are 13 years old, 8 years old, 5 years old and the twin brother to Talandila. I bring them up on my own as my husband Kondwani died in April 2014. 

I do rely on my relatives financially in my day to day life as I am a widow, but I do feel it's a burden that my other children have been staying with my mother for the past week whilst I have been in hospital with Talandila. It's too early to know whether my daughter has been affected by the disease in any way because she is too young but I’m hoping she has a very bright future because of the help that we are receiving at the hospital.

I think I would be able to spot meningitis when I see it in another person and have already told family members that have visited us in the hospital what to look for when someone is sick and to make sure they get medical attention quickly.

Elube Namondwe
December 2014