Sonia was seven months pregnant when the fever struck.
It started with body aches, then chills, then relentless heat. At first, she thought it was just exhaustion, the kind that comes with walking long distances to fetch water and selling fruits in the scorching sun. But by nightfall, Sonia could barely sit up. Her skin burned with fever, and the baby in her womb hadn’t moved all day.
Sonia lives in a quiet rural community, far from the nearest health facility. With no access to reliable transport and limited knowledge of danger signs in pregnancy, she endured the symptoms for two days, until her mother-in-law insisted they take her to the local clinic.
When they arrived, the midwife’s face fell. “It’s malaria,” she said gravely. “And it’s threatening both mother and baby.”
The Malaria-Maternal Health Crisis
Sonia’s story is not unique.
Across sub-Saharan Africa, malaria continues to be one of the leading causes of illness and death among pregnant women and children under five. Pregnancy reduces a woman’s immunity, making her more susceptible to malaria, which can lead to maternal anemia, miscarriage, premature birth, and even stillbirth.
Yet, many women like Sonia either lack the knowledge or access to preventive care like Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) and Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) — simple tools that can save lives.
Why Prevention is Power
Sonia survived. Thanks to the timely diagnosis and treatment she received at the clinic, she was able to recover. A few weeks later, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
But for every Sonia who survives, many don’t. The harsh reality is that malaria is both preventable and treatable, and no woman should lose her life or her baby’s to this disease.
This World Malaria Day, Let’s Ask Ourselves:
How many more Sonias must suffer before we act boldly and equitably to end malaria for good?