Kala azar.

The second in an 8-part series investigating diseases from around the globe. Each programme features a single disease and looks at attempts to develop treatments that are effective and affordable to the world's poor who make up the majority of the victims. This part features kala azar (black fever / visceral leishmaniasis), transmitted by sand flies and primarily seen in India. Without treatment the disease is always fatal. Victoria Hale works for the Institute for OneWorld Health, a project which hopes to find an effective and affordable treatment for the disease. The current treatment is so toxic that it kills 1 in 10 people who take it. The programme follows the development and trials of a new drug, under the direction of Shyam Sundar, which is not only effective against the disease, but affordable.