The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) needs continued international help with its fragile health services that try to cope with TB, Malaria and HIV, as well as Lassa, Marburg, Dengue, Nipah and Mers, which could soon become major epidemics, intensified by global heating, global mobility and trade, and crowded cities. Epidemics could quickly spread around Africa and to Asia and Europe. Effective treatment of Ebola means that ‘if you can get to people and treat them within four days of them becoming infected, mortality will only be about 10%. A few years ago, it was more like 80%’. Yet healthcare workers and researchers in DRC and West Africa face ‘extreme violence and fear, with colleagues being killed. It is a staggering, astonishing story.’

WHO (the World Health Organization) estimates that two billion people have no access to toilets or latrines, and more than 430,000 people die each year from diarrhoea. Millions more die or suffer from other avoidable conditions, including intestinal worm infections and diseases that cause blindness. From 2011 to 2018, ‘WHO did battle with 1483 epidemics.’ These occurred mainly among Black and Asian people, many already suffering from other diseases. About one in every eight people in South Africa has HIV and two-thirds of them also have TB. When drug companies occasionally develop treatments for tropical diseases, they are likely to overcharge. There are 100,000 Black people with sickle-cell disease in the US, and millions more around the world. Two transformative new drugs to help them were recently approved, the first in 20 years. Adakveo prevents episodes of nearly unbearable pain and Oxbryta prevents severe anaemia that can permanently damage the brain and other organs. Each costs around $100,000 a year per person, and must be taken for life. The ‘black’ blood cell diseases, sickle cell and Thalassaemia, are neglected by research funders, whereas research about the ‘white’ cells, cancer, is heavily funded. This is another example of the great need to transform or negate present racist global health research policies. However, that partly depends on a collective change of heart and personal values.