You know when you change the channel and there's a program on that you know nothing about, but it captures your attention so completely that you have to watch the whole thing? That's what happened to me on Monday December 3, 2007, when the ABC screened the documentary "Rampant: How a city stopped a plague".
From the ABC program website:
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200712/programs/ZY9056A001D3122007T203000.htm
Rampant is the story of AIDS in Australia, and how our response to the disease - so radically different to that in the USA and other countries with conservative governments - made us world leaders in controlling the virus, which had the potential to become a plague.
The documentary was so well put together. The key players from the time were interviewed. People like the Federal Health Minister, Neal Blewett and his key policy adviser. The opposition health spokesperson, Peter Baume. Members of the gay commumity who have lived to tell the tale. A spokeswoman from the Prostitutes collective. An activist from the drug scene. Doctors, nurses, nuns.
It was compelling viewing. The documentary comes on the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosis of AIDS in Australia. The first case was a gay man visiting from New York. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that within six months of his diagnosis, this man was dead.
The documentary takes a chronological approach and shows how the disease emerged and how measures to combat the spread were developed. It's absolutely fascinating to see the Health Minister talk about how funding was given directly to gay groups to develop their own advertising, recognising that the bureaucrats did not speak "their" language.
It's chilling to see the emergence of the disease in the blood supply and to hear that babies were dying due to infected blood. It's frightening to see the backlash against the gay community over this.
It's fascinating to see the role the prostitutes played in promoting safe sex.
It's enlightening to see Ita Buttrose speak about the health promotion and to see the development of the grim reaper ad. (The Australian says that nearly everyone over the age of thirty remembers the grim reaper ads. I certainly do... though I wonder if that's from them being talked about so much since. I certainly don't remember the lead up to the crisis (the blood supply issues etc). I was too young).
I think one of the things that tells the story best is the 'slogans' (or themes) from Mardi Gras. I understand that the theme for the 1983 Mardi Gras parade was ‘On our way to Freedom’, while by 1985 it was 'Fighting for our Lives’.
It's sobering when you realise that the doctors who were working in the field were originally working with hunches. They felt that the virus was sexually transmitted and that condoms would make a difference so they started promoting that. They left the verification of those hunches until later and saved countless lives in the process.
Neal Blewett was the right man in the right place at the right time. He trod a fine line to do what was best for public health, even if that meant breaking the law. His sexuality (entirely irrelevant!) and reputation was questioned.
I feel so proud at our very Australian response to this. Through the leadership of those such as Neal Blewett and those in the medical community we were able to put so-called 'morality' aside and focus on the fact that this was (and continues to be) a public health issue. Actions that were illegal (such as needle exchange programs) were tolerated (and eventually sanctioned) as it was clear they were preventing the spread of the disease.
If you get the chance to see this documentary I whole heartedly recommend it. It's really worth watching.
Related links:
A personal reflection:
http://ninglundecember.wordpress.com/2007/12/03/rampant-how-a-city-stopped-a-plague/
Includes comments from the filmmakers:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/courage-on-the-streets-kept-aids-in-check/2007/12/02/1196530481821.html
Public Health angle:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22844588-23289,00.html
Review:
http://mcv.e-p.net.au/television/rampant-how-a-city-stopped-a-plague.html
Study guide:
http://www.enhancetv.com.au/shop/product.php?productid=106458&cat=313&page=5
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