37 million people suffer from African river blindness, also known as Onchocerciasis. The disease is caused by a parasitic worm carried from person to person through the bite of a black fly.
The worms travel underneath the sking causing severe itching and inflammation. After many years they make their way into the eye, scarring the tissue and causing blindness.
In the past, African river blindness ravaged throughout Africa, leaving blindness, poverty and disfigurement in its wake. In 1987, an unprecedented effort by pharma giant Mereck & Co. made Ivermectin, a drug that could prevent the symptoms of river blindness, available to all who would need it… for free.
Why does this scourge continue to be such a burden despite the availability of a free, effective treatment for over two decades? This documentary tries to answer the question.
More info: ’37 Million and Counting’ Homepage
Produced by: Aimée Peck (Directed by: Aaron Edell)
Year: 2009
Language: English