Thanks to the donated pharmaceuticals that World Vision supplied to Zambia’s Kisasa clinic, Priscilla and her daughter, Comfort, have made a full recovery from life-threatening respiratory tract infections and pneumonia.

January 2010

Story by Collins Kaumba, World Vision Zambia. Edited by Rachael Boyer, World Vision U.S.

Just after midnight, when many of her neighbors were enjoying their sleep, Priscilla Kahang’u was wide awake, wondering whether her 2-year-old daughter, Comfort Shindani, would have a chance to see the sun that morning.

By 8:00 a.m., Comfort’s health had deteriorated even further. “My daughter was very ill and I was wondering…what to do,” says Priscilla, 20. “I was afraid my child was going to die…she was experiencing shortness of breath, constant coughs, and failure to breastfeed.”

World Vision distributes donated pharmaceuticals to the Kisasa Rural Health Center, which is less than a third of a mile from Priscilla’s house. That morning, Priscilla took Comfort to the clinic, remembering that World Vision had supplied the clinic with medication.

Perfect timing

“Things worked out so well; Comfort had come at the right time when the right drug had arrived from World Vision. Otherwise, it was going to be [a different] story today,” says Monde Mubyana, the officer in charge at the Kisasa clinic, which serves about 5,300 people in the area.

“I diagnosed Comfort with respiratory tract infections that include severe cough and pneumonia, and Omnicef was simply the right drug,” Monde continues.

“The drugs from World Vision had come at the right time when we had a lot of respiratory tract infections here and drugs had completely ran out,” Monde says.

A few days before Comfort made her full recovery, Priscilla came down with the same respiratory infections. She was able to receive the same treatment as her daughter, using Omnicef, the drug that was supplied by World Vision in February 2009.

‘Deepest gratitude’

“Drugs here run out every so often,” Monde explains. While the government does supply drug kits on a monthly basis, the kits often arrive late and don’t contain enough drugs to treat an outbreak of a particular disease or infection.

“On behalf of the community and staff, I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to the donors in USA for the drugs that have saved so many lives,” Monde adds.

Today, Comfort is well. The pneumonia and coughs have cleared, and Priscilla thanks World Vision: “Without their help, my daughter and I would not be here for this story to be written today.”