PART 1.2

PART 1.2

STORY A

In the early days of HIV/AIDS, AIDS was a mysterious disease. The cause of AIDS was unknown, and many blamed it on the most marginalized groups. But, without knowing that the disease was caused by a virus, it was easy to stigmatize, isolate and blame affected groups. The early approach towards understanding AIDS focused on who was getting infected, rather than the cause and effect of the disease. Epidemiologists saw that AIDS was affecting hemophiliacs, heroin addicts, homosexuals, and Haitians (the 4Hs of HIV) which biased the way people viewed the disease and the populations it first impacted. Infection did not seem to follow logic.

STORY B

Guinea worm is a horrible disease affecting some of the poorest and most remote populations. But the year-long delay between drinking unclean water and the appearance of symptoms, kept vulnerable people from realizing that drinking water from contaminated ponds was the source of their illness.

FEATURING

Dr. Helene Gayle, President, Chicago Community Trust

Dr. Donald Hopkins, Special Advisor, The Carter Center