Hope Is A Verb - Trailer - A Shot At History

Episode Date: September 3, 2025

Over a year ago, we decided that we wanted to tell the storyof the malaria vaccine; one of the most important yet hidden stories of progress in the world right now. We knew that this would be a massive undertaking, but it turned out to be more epic that we could have possibly imagined. Over three episodes, we’re going to show you what it takes to develop and roll out a new vaccine, why this one matters so much and how it could change the trajectory of human history. First episode drops Friday 5th September. If you want to find out more about our work, go to fixthenews.com

Do you know anyone who's ever passed away from malaria? Ooh! The easiest way I could phrase it is malaria is so common in Africa. The question would actually be, do you know anyone who has never heard of a person dying of malaria? When you get malaria, you basically just become a different person. Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases of all time, responsible for more deaths than all of humanity's wars combined.

Today, 95% of malaria deaths happen in Africa, and most of them are children under five. For a disease like malaria, which is killing 1,000 African children every day, this should be a firestorm of concern. But for the first time in history, we now have not one, but two vaccines that are being rolled out across African countries. Four doses before a child's second birthday can mean the difference between survival and tragedy.

Oh my God, that moment felt like I was losing my baby. And it was so fast. It's arriving in rural clinics and urban hospitals, boosting the hopes of mothers and changing the fate of an entire generation. My name is Salema Tuzenabai. I'm glad to meet with you on the discussion of Malaya, the disease that spear no one. None of this has been easy.

From the decades of scientific trial and error, it took a very long time from the beginning of the project in 1987, but I do not believe we could have gone much faster. To the years of campaigning within global health organizations. I really saw that this was a design. disease that affected the finances of the families, the growth of communities and cultures. And the last mile challenges of getting the vaccine into communities who need it most. We've had cholera epidemics, we've had healthcare workers strikes, we had an outbreak of polio,

we've had typhoons, we've had flooding. I wonder really is this thing going to ever take off? At every turn, people have fought the odds. I promise myself whenever I have an opportunity to contribute to any efforts that will address this problem so that no matter goes through this pain again, I will do it with all efforts. I'm getting goosebumps remembering this. To fight for a better future.

When I think about the end of malaria, I think about how this could change how the world thinks about us. It's one of the greatest public health stories of all time. By the end of 2025, over 13 million African children will have been a really. received at least one dose of the malaria vaccine, and it's already working. The Director of Health Services in that city was saying that he was having to close down child health wards because they didn't have kids filling the beds for malaria. But the fight is far from over, with recent cuts to global aid threatening to stall or

even reverse progress. There is so much at stake. This is more than just a shot in the arm. This is a shot at history.