Poverty and Disease (05:08)

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Ali Balla, a 41-year-old man with 11 children, prepares his fields. Mortality rates in Niger are high due to rampant disease. Balla's sons swim in a lake with snails that host parasites that can infect humans.

Public Health Change (03:56)

Dr. Mariama Lamine works in conjunction with the Ministry of Health to determine the number of individuals afflicted with diseases such as Schistosomiasis. Each child in Balla's village provides a urine test; 20% come back positive.

Disease Medications (07:01)

Dr. Lamine will allocate drugs to eradicate diseases across the country. Niger has 300 doctors nationwide. Dr. Amadou Garba describes how each village will choose a distributor to administer the medication.

Training Session (02:56)

Lymphatic Filariasis spreads through mosquitoes. Medications include Albendazole and Mectizan; doctors decide to treat everyone in Niger. Gannow's disease progression leaves him swollen and deformed.

Nomadic People (02:16)

The pearl people wander, making disease difficult to treat. Halima Ousmane has been afflicted with LF since childhood. A combination of Albendazole and Mectizan is not a cure but can prevent the disease's progression.

Distributor Education (03:57)

Distributors learn potential complications to LF and taking medications. Dr. Husseini Adarou supervises the arrival of medications in the Madarounfa District. Children perform at a party.

Trachoma (04:43)

The bacteria thrives in poor living conditions around the world. Dr. Samna Mohamed advocates keeping the compound cleaner and promoting better hygiene. Blinding Trachoma occurs after multiple reinfections.

Disease Control (03:43)

Balla prepares to distribute drugs; a surgeon performs surgery on those diagnosed with trachoma. With repeated medications, LF, Trachoma, Schistosomiasis, and two other diseases will be eradicated.

Medication Distribution (03:34)

Mustafa, Balla, and another distributor begin to administer medication to the villagers of Inkouregao. It will take him two days to visit all the compounds.

Widespread Treatment (06:34)

Gannow needs surgery but the medication will stop the parasites. Halima also receives medication; reinfection will occur. No country has more health problems than Niger.