Halima Siddique and Zarina Leghari, Pakistan Directed by Tazeen Bari
In 2022, Pakistan was hit by devastating floods, caused by unusually heavy rains and melting glaciers. As well as killing hundreds of people and displacing millions, the floods created a huge health crisis. This included a large increase in the number of people suffering with dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease for which there is no specific treatment. Dengue fever, sometimes known as ‘breakbone’ fever because of the excruciating muscle, bone and joint pain it causes, can also lead to blood loss, organ failure and even death. Yet, it belongs to a category of ‘neglected tropical diseases’ which has traditionally received less investment from a pharmaceutical industry.
Until 2022,
there was only one vaccine for dengue fever and even this was not suitable for children who hadn’t had dengue fever previously. Driven primarily by short-term returns, big pharmaceutical companies rarely invest in diseases that mainly affect low- and middle-income countries. Only 4% of new drugs developed are for neglected tropical diseases.
Halima Leghari and Zarina Siddique are Community Health Workers in Sindh province, Pakistan.