Unit 9 / Listening 2B

Simon: So you've been in touch with this woman in Kenya. What's her name? Sophie?

Caroline: That's right. She's a nurse in Nairobi. According to Tom, she's keen to highlight the AIDS situation there. When I spoke to her, she was eager for us to meet to talk about it in detail. She says things have been improving over the past couple of years – there are far more people getting treatment now – but she reckons there's still a fair amount of corruption at a local level.

Simon: What sort of corruption?

Caroline: Well, it's a bit strange, for example, that supplies of drugs to the hospital increase dramatically when there's an election on the way. The Minister then quotes impressive figures relating to the drive to provide treatment for all AIDS sufferers. That allows him to get re-elected, but what he forgets to point out is that it isn't the government funding the treatment, it's the pharmaceutical companies.

Simon: And what's in it for them?

Caroline: They get the chance to test all sorts of other drugs in the knowledge that if anything goes wrong, they have friends in high places who can effectively put a stop to any enquiry. According to Sophie, Africa is a vast experimentation ground where companies can get round the restrictions imposed on clinical trials elsewhere.

Simon: I dare say we'll have to dig deeper – especially if we're going to come out with specific allegations – but it sounds as if we've got our first scoop.

Caroline: And that's just one aspect, of course. Tom suggested in his mail that a complex topic such as AIDS could in fact give rise to a whole documentary series.

Simon: Maybe. But we don't want to overstretch ourselves financially. I've called in a few favours and we've got enough to start us off, but we'll need to get some firm purchase offers in order to continue.

Caroline: I've got an appointment on Thursday with a couple of series editors at BBC World. They sound quite interested. I'm sure that if the first programme is good enough – and one thing I can trust Tom to do is good work – we'll reach an agreement on the whole series.

Simon: Excellent. Speaking of Tom, by the way, have you told him? About us, I mean?

Caroline: Not yet. I haven't been able to get through to him in person. I wrote several drafts of an email, but I never sent it.

Simon: Why not?

Caroline: It seemed a little harsh to tell him by email. Rather too impersonal, I thought.

Simon: Yes, it's easier in a conversation, I agree. At least you can try to soften the blow a bit.

Caroline: Ha! I'm not sure that for Tom the blow will be that hard in any case.

Simon: Where is he by the way? Have they found Ben Griffiths yet, do you know?

Caroline: No idea. The last I heard, they were in Vancouver. But heaven knows where they are now.