Global Health Innovation Technology Fund
Global Healthcare Launch
Multi-continental storytelling brings a breakthrough treatment for neglected tropical disease to the world stage.
The brief
Schistosomiasis is a widespread but largely invisible disease caused by a parasite that's picked up in childhood and goes on to damage organs and cause disabilities in adults. The disease is believed to be present in millions of preschool-aged children in areas without access to clean water and sanitation, yet it remains one of the world's most neglected tropical diseases.
For over a decade, the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund has been working to change this reality, with the goal of eliminating the disease by 2030. GHIT is a Japan-led partnership that brings together researchers, pharmaceutical companies, NGOs, and funders from across the globe to tackle the world's most neglected diseases. Their collaborative approach spans continents, connecting brilliant minds who share one mission: to develop treatments for diseases that affect the world's most vulnerable populations.
Having worked with GHIT for 11 years, we recognise the need to take complex science and turn it into stories that connect with audiences ranging from high-net-worth donors and policy leaders to conference attendees worldwide.
GHIT asked us to create two films to capture a pivotal moment.
After more than 10 years of GHIT's support, a milestone was finally reached: the paediatric formulation of Praziquantel (PZQ) was close to registration. This represented a breakthrough moment - a new, child-friendly treatment for schistosomiasis that could transform the lives of millions of preschoolers worldwide.
The films needed to tell the complete story - from disease background and the R&D journey, through to drugs being delivered to patients and the partnerships that made it all possible. Aimed at a general audience unfamiliar with neglected tropical diseases, the films would be used on social media, the GHIT website, and at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in August 2025 and at other key conferences and events.
The objective was clear: by watching the films, audiences would become aware of the disease, feel familiar with it, and become motivated to learn more about GHIT and spread this knowledge to others.
This was a real moment in time - the drug was finally being delivered to patients, and we needed to communicate the expectations and outcomes of patients and their families receiving the new treatment.
The approach
Our approach was built on our proven track record with GHIT. Having worked with the organisation on films that needed to pull together multiple threads of a story from across the globe several times before, we knew how to tackle the challenge. Our task was to craft the narrative, combing through footage from multiple sources and filming what was needed to tell a story spanning several continents.
The footage generated by GHIT from the first sites to roll out the formula in Tanzania and Côte d'Ivoire, showed the real-world impact of treatment programmes already underway. This authentic, on-the-ground content formed the emotional heart of our story - capturing patients and families receiving treatment and the tangible difference it was making to their lives.
To complete the narrative, we captured interview footage from the team leading the project that we filmed ourselves in London and Geneva. These interviews provided the scientific context, R&D background, and were combined with content from key partners in the project, including Merck and Astellas, to tell the full story from disease awareness through to breakthrough treatment delivery.
The production presented unique logistical challenges. We were working across multiple time zones, coordinating with stakeholders in different countries, and working with content in multiple languages. The footage was in multiple different languages including dialectal French, Japanese and English. The final films needed to be subtitled in both English and Japanese to serve GHIT's diverse global audience.
Perhaps the biggest challenge was timing. This story needed to be seamlessly crafted in time for the film's debut at TICAD9 - a major international platform where Japan leads discussions on African development. The pressure was on to deliver a polished, powerful story that could stand up on this significant world stage.
The result
The resulting films represent a powerful reminder that collaboration across borders, teams, and time zones can lead to something truly meaningful. By pulling together multiple strands of the project into one cohesive story, we successfully created a narrative that spans continents while maintaining focus on the improved health outcomes at its core.
By crafting the story in this way we were able to help GHIT tell a story of both the scientific achievement, and its real-world implications for families affected by schistosomiasis. The films capture this pivotal moment in global health - when years of collaborative research and development finally translate into treatments reaching the children who need them most.
This project exemplifies the kind of work we love at MOREVER: it's global, it's human, and it matters. Working with GHIT over 11 years has allowed us to witness and document the complete journey from research challenge to life-changing solution.
The films are set to launch at TICAD9, where they will reach policy leaders, development professionals, and potential funders who have the power to support and expand access to this breakthrough treatment.
Output
- 1 x 6-minute film subtitled in English and Japanese
- 1 x 1-minute social edit subtitled in English and Japanese, delivered in 16:9 and 4:5 formats
Credits
Director – Dan Mellor
Senior Producer – Tom Windsor
DoP – Bruce Jackson
Editor – Kazz Thompson