International Broadcaster Sheds Light on Groundbreaking Efforts to Control Rabies in the Philippines
6th April 2014, Geneva, Switzerland – The international broadcaster Al Jazeera is to kick off a major new season of health programming with a one-hour long documentary on rabies due to transmit on April 10th 2014.
The film, entitled Island by Island, is the premiere of Al Jazeera’s new series. It focuses on the Philippines, where an estimated 300,000 people visit bite centres every year through fear of contracting rabies. The film was shot on location in the capital, Manila and in the province of Ilocos Norte.
According to Al Jazeera, by focusing on the people whose lives are touched by the disease, from young bite victims and dog owners to the friends and families of victims, the film is hard-hitting but also at times uplifting and life affirming. Alongside the human and animal cost of the disease, viewers also meet community activists who are dedicated to fighting the disease.
“Our hope is that through this film, the Filipino government’s valiant efforts to control the disease will be recognized and the international community can use the momentum generated by the film to advocate for more support for communities living in the shadow of this dreadful, most fatal disease,” said Professor Deborah Briggs, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC).
Island by Island will be broadcast on Al Jazeera at 20:00 BST/16:00 EST on Thursday 10 April. To schedule an interview with Deborah Briggs or any other Global Alliance for Rabies Control expert, please contact:
Mobile: 00 33 7 86 86 70 79
Note: GARC was not responsible for the content or financing of the film. The film, entitled Island by Island, was produced and directed by Al Jazeera.