Like a baby again

Akech's mother moaned as she carried her 5-month-old baby girl to the Bor State Hospital in South Sudan -- not because the baby was heavy, but because, she says, she had lost hope.

Akech had a high fever, cough, difficulty breathing and was unable to feed.

On reaching the hospital, she met with a clinical officer from Doctors of the World, who assessed her baby. Akech was found to be extremely underweight and suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). In her weakened state, she had also developed pneumonia and caught malaria.

She was too sick to even open her eyes.

Akech was admitted to the pediatric ward and immediately placed on treatment and close monitoring until her condition stabilized. She was then transferred to the adjacent nutrition centre run by Save the Children.

Thousands of children like Akech are going hungry in South Sudan. Remote communities especially are struggling with lack of access to food, clean water, and health care. More than half the population is experiencing serious food insecurity, and many are facing famine.

With the support of Canadians through the Humanitarian Coalition and a matching fund from the Government of Canada, Doctors of the World was able to provide the salary for medical personnel, including the people who cared for Akech.

Ten days after her admission, Akech was still undergoing care but her mother and healthcare team confirmed that she had remarkably improved. She had gained 1.8kg since admission and her temperature was normal. She was being assessed on her level of appetite to prepare for her discharge, to continue her follow-up from home.

"I came to the hospital when my child was very sick and almost close to death," says Akech's mother.

"On the day I came with her, she couldn't see and had difficulties in breathing; and now she's seeing clearly, her body is looking good and she looks more like a baby again.

"I thank the doctors and the medical team for saving my baby and I thank God who I pray should always bless their hands to keep on doing the job of saving life so that they can also save lives of other children who are vulnerable."