Biography #1:

Ahmed is 12 years old and lives in Nigeria. Ahmed hasn’t been feeling well lately. This morning he woke up with a very bad cough and sore chest. His parents think that he might have tuberculosis (TB). They know that this can be life-threatening and that they must get Ahmed to the doctor.

Ahmed and his family live in a very small village. They do not have very much money. There is no doctor in their village, and the nearest one is 30 miles away . They do not have any transportation to get there and his parents do not know what to do.

Doctor #1:

Dr. Nauba lives 30 miles from Ahmed’s village. He has many patients because he is the only doctor for many villages in his area. He is very busy and has limited medical supplies. Today he has twenty-three people waiting at his office when he arrives there in the morning. He helps as many people as he can, but fears that he is not treating all of the sick people in the surrounding area who can't get to his office.

What should Ahmed’s parents do?

What should the doctor do?

Is it up to the government to help Ahmed?

Biography #2:

Simon lives in the South Bronx of New York City. He lives with his mother in an apartment. Simon has AIDS. Today Simon woke up feeling terrible. He says that some days are better than others, but today is especially bad. Simon’s mom does not have health insurance. They are on welfare. His mom can take him to the city hospital, but usually when they go they wait for hours to see even talk to doctor or nurse. He doesn’t like the hospital. It’s not clean, it’s too noisy, and there are too many sick people always waiting to see a doctor or nurse there.

Doctor #2:

Dr. Bruckner works at the city hospital where Simon goes. Dr. Bruckner sometimes works 14 to16 hours a day. She knows the hospital is not perfect, but she tries to help as many patients as she can. It bothers her that they are short on supplies and nurses. She sometimes has to let patients wait all day before someone can help them because they just don’t have enough doctors and nurses.

What should Simon do?

What can Dr. Bruckner do?

What can the hospital do?

Biography #3:

Farida lives in the Calcutta, India. Her family lives in a very poor area of the city. Their living conditions are unsanitary and meager. Farida has been feeling weak lately and her parents are afraid she might have Hepatitis A. Several of their neighbours have suffered from the disease and they know it can cause permanent damage, if not death.

Doctor #3:

Dr. Andes works in a missionary hospital near Farida's neighborhood. She has seen many cases of Hepatitis A at the hospital. The hospital was set up to help families like Farida's, but they have had to turn people away because they are full. Dr. Andes tries to take care of as many patients as she can who come to the hospital without being able to admit them.

What should Farida's parents do?

What can Dr. Andes do?

How can Farida's parents help to prevent Hepatitis A from spreading to Farida's siblings?