TIIM

Suffering from a headache in Burkina Faso? Then the place to go is not your local doctor or pharmacist. In this small African country people go to the market when they are feeling sick. There, flying vendors sell their merchandise from big plastic bags. They carry aspirin, laxatives and many other colourful little pills – all unmarked and unregulated, but for half the pharmacy-price.

One of the merchants is Karim. He is 23 years old and permanently on the lookout for the police: His business is quite profitable but nevertheless illegal.

Taking uncontrolled stimulants is also against the law in Burkina Faso. But many vendors do not stick to selling drugs for healing purposes. A pill called "14" is one of the most popular doping products. Farmer Pécoce likes to take it, because it enables him to work on the field like an ox all day long – without needing a break. Barry Amadou and Belem Sekou had their own experiences with "14". When it started to take its toll on their personalities, they managed to kick the habit.

The government of Burkina Faso is no passive bystander to all this. Attempts are made to sell cheap generics instead of the expensive brand-medicines. And slowly but surely the project is showing an effect.

Tiim sheds light on an issue that not only affects Burkina Faso – the inaccessibility of medication for most of the world’s population.