Chad : Keeping above water

This week Health has travelled to Chad for a special programme on the latest challenges facing the African country. Like several neighbouring states, Chad was hit by heavy flooding following an exceptional rainy season this year. Many areas in and around the capital are still underwater, months after the heavy rains. We investigate the health implications.

HEALTH

Chad has experienced a large number of cholera cases, a highly infectious condition which can be spread by poor hygiene and contact with contaminated water. Because of the recent flooding, doctors have set up special cholera treatment centres. We take you inside one of them, in a rural Chadian village, to examine their work.

Another major health concern, aggravated by the high waters, is malaria. Stagnant pools are proving an exceptional breeding ground for mosquitoes which carry the malaria parasite. Huge numbers of Chadians already live with the disease; we investigate what experts in the country are doing to treat sufferers and prevent even more infections.

Finally, the Health programme visits a pilot project offering hope for the future on the shores of Lake Chad. The blue-green alga Spirulina has been farmed for generations here, but now investors are hoping to bring production up to date, and so fight against malnutrition. Spirulina is not only a good money-spinner; it’s packed full of vitamins, minerals and protein.

Mairead Dundas

Presenter

13/05/2012 - HEALTH

Globesity: Weighing up the options

The French might be renowned for their slim figures, but in reality, France is catching up with the United States. One in two adults is overweight and the situation in France now resembles that of the US twenty years ago. We weigh up efforts to beat globesity – a new term that describes the growing global health problem.