I Need To Know : UK 1990s documentary/programme on sleeping sickness?

UK 1990s documentary/programme on sleeping sickness?

For some reason, this came back to me after so many years and I've been looking everywhere for this but to no avail. I remember a documentary about the insect-borne disease, from around the late 1990s; my guess would be 1997-1998, aired on UK terrestrial TV on at the weekend (it was definitely a Friday or Saturday evening).

It had to have been on one of the original five channels of the day (BBC One & Two, ITV, Channel 4 & 5) and at some point in the evening though I'm not sure when. I couldn't sleep, so came downstairs and remember seeing it on TV. It was not a VHS or a recording, as I do recall breaks in between.

The reason I remember it was because I remember it scaring me when I saw it; in 1997 I would have been 6 years old. The scant details of the documentary/programme are as follows:

1. I recall a 'docu-drama' moment where the narrator says a boy is carried downstairs from his home bed to a 'special ambulance(?)' after apparently falling ill to sleeping sickness.

2. Another scene where the narrator mentions that people stricken with the disease can still have good reflexes; a ball is thrown and a patient catches it despite being otherwise catatonic.

I guess that's all I remember properly. Not much to go on, I know, but if any UK members have any idea I'd be very grateful as it's recently come into my head and I haven't been able to find anything online thus far. Thanks in advance for any help.

Re: UK 1990s documentary/programme on sleeping sickness?…

"Prisoners of the FORGOTTEN Plague" (1998)?

"THAT'S SOME BAD SHIT, HARRY!".

Re: UK 1990s documentary/programme on sleeping sickness?…

You may well be on to something. It certainly seems to fit - the year, it being aired at 9.30pm on 29 July 1998; which was a Wednesday, but that's not to say it wasn't repeated at a weekend afterwards. I really appreciate the find, but can't seem to find it online anywhere to watch - any ideas?

Once again, thank you for the quick and pretty accurate suggestion. ๐Ÿ™‚

Re: UK 1990s documentary/programme on sleeping sickness?…

You're welcome. That's all I could find. Sorry, NO idea where it can be watched online OR off.

"THAT'S SOME BAD SHIT, HARRY!".

Re: UK 1990s documentary/programme on sleeping sickness?…

From what I've seen by searching online, it used to be on YouTube along with a bunch of other QED episodes, but the channel has unfortunately since been taken down. Nevermind, I'll keep it in mind now that I have a name to go by. ๐Ÿ™‚
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