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Millions die every year from diseases which can be easily prevented or cured. People in the developing world suffer a much higher burden of ill-health than those in richer countries. How can these inequalities be leveled? A panel of experts will discuss these issues at the world famous Barts Hospital in London, chaired by Zeinab Badawi. The panelists are:
The last few hours before the recording of a big event like “The World Health Debate” are an anxious time for any producer. Having spent months planning and organising, now all I could do was watch. A large team of riggers, electricians, sound and lighting engineers were transforming the Great Hall at Bart’s Hospital into our studio, for one night only.
I knew from the moment I walked into the Great Hall that this was where I wanted to film our debate. It is a spectacular and classy venue, with high windows, huge portraits, vast quantities of gold leaf and an atmosphere that immediately fills you with a sense of history.
But that was just the start. Next, we had to find our panellists. With the help of my colleague Victoria Balfour, we managed to pull together a spectacular cast, with a very wide range of experience. At the sharp end, Dr Francisco Songane had started his career as an ordinary doctor in his native Mozambique, later rising to Minister of Health. And from the developed world, Clare Short MP was British Secretary of State for International Development for six years. They and three other distinguished panellists had agreed to take part and I was sure the discussion would be interesting and lively.
But what if an emergency prevented them from coming? And how many of our 200+ invited audience would turn up? It was a cold and wet November evening. Were people really willing to come out for a debate on complex and difficult questions on global health? There was nothing I could do but try to relax, stop interfering, and let my team do their jobs as well as I knew they could.
And as the record time approached, everything started to fall into place. The director Barton Macfarlane started the camera rehearsal. The shots looked brilliant. The lighting was wonderful. Our presenter Zeinab Badawi was turning my rough script into polished prose. The audience streamed in. The panellists were ready to take their places.
It was time to begin. The tapes were set to record. My last words to the crew were what I always say on these occasions: “Good luck and enjoy it as best you can!” The BBC World Health Debate had begun.
