Gr 10 student dies before exams

 A STUDENT attending St Gabriel’s Technical Secondary School was admitted to the Kiunga Hospital just a week before the Grade 10 exams and died after the exams ended last Sunday. 

Sharon Charlie, a 17-year-old girl from Membok village, along the Fly River, near Kiunga, was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). 

Doctors found the TB had reached the tertiary stage and consequently caused polyserositis. 

Her illness was prolonged and relapsed after medical treatment. 

She had other secondary complications and doctors put her on multi-treatment dosages of medication.

The death was reportedly due to non-compliance to medical drugs that caused resistance and relapse. 

Her body is now awaiting repatriation to her village and that will take 10-12 hours travel down the Fly River.

Doctors warned anyone diagnosed with curable diseases such as TB, to comply with medical conditions, especially with medical drugs and dosage specifications, and not to resort to sorcery and witchcraft for cures. 

Sharon was described as a decent and humble student, a role model and of exemplary character.  She was destined to be one of few well-educated women of Western.  

Class teacher Nathalie Wamu said Sharon did well in some subjects and was supposed to get several prizes.