The Nature of Things

The Value of Life: AIDS in Africa Revisited (44x10)

: 21, 2004

This film is a follow-up to the award-winning Race Against Time in 2001, which covered Lewis on one of his first fact-finding missions in Africa. Kofi Annan had declared a war on AIDS and, at a special session of the U.N., established a Global Fund so richer countries could help poorer ones fight the disease. With the world focused on AIDS, Lewis believed the pandemic could be stopped in its tracks. But then came September 11, and the world's attention turned to homeland security and fighting terrorism. With promises of financial aid to Africa broken, Lewis's optimism turned to disbelief.