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The Life-and-Death Missions of a Blood Deliveryman

With supply scarce in Lagos, Nigeria, hospitals rely on men with motorcycles to make their deliveries—but the margins for error are razor-thin.

Released on 09/16/2020

Transcript

[clicks]

[air whooshing]

[suspenseful music]

I can remember the first time I rode a motorcycle.

I was scared at first.

I saw my friends riding the bikes

and I was like they had one head and I had one head also.

If they can do it then I can also do it.

So I pick up the bike again.

Keep on practicing.

[slow music]

I just want to be fast.

[upbeat music]

[bike engine roaring]

Heard a whole lot about you.

[bike engine roaring]

I'm impressed with what you have shown

and how fast you can actually be.

Our goal is to save as many lives as quickly as we can

and I'm sure with your dedication

towards this work we can actually achieve this.

Many lives depend on you.

Depends on how fast you can be

depends on how careful you can be on the road

and it depends on how well you can actually maneuver

and find your way to the hospital you know.

This is you, making an impact where there is none.

You understand?

[slow music]

[swishes]

[water dripping]

[patters]

You nearly hit a car?

It wasn't my fault Shep.

A passenger smashed the brake and you understand now?

Automatic.

Automatic me coming with the high speed.

You learn everyday.

I got there and they said the woman just passed.

Passed away and I was like I got there like now

and they said the woman just passed away

in the last five minutes.

The baby was alive.

And I'm like Joseph

was there something I could have done better?

The baby is not even up to five hours old.

The baby wasn't up to five hours old.

[air whooshing]

[hisses]

[sizzling]

[swishes]

So yours is just to come and be eating carrot

and standing here?

I'm giving you moral support.

The moral support?

Then go clap [indistinct]

[laughs]

[bike engines roaring]

[bottle cap pops]

You never come to chill with us anymore.

No time.

Always on an order.

Always on the run.

Getting blood to deliver at.

No matter location, no matter the location.

I can't do what he's doing.

Never.

Can't do it.

I'm not here to die.

I will live my life to enjoy.

[upbeat music]

[fun swishing]

[engines roaring]

That is it, there.

You can use the bed.

Which one?

This one.

Okay.

Thank you.

[child crying]

I think the only thing left is the diaper.

Where's the diaper?

Okay.

Lemme bring stool.

Bring stool.

Don't worry go and bring stool.

This the one.

Is it the one on top?

Yes.

I think this one will be fine but I don't know

This one is on top.

Yeah, this small one [foreign language].

This one is okay.

I think that's everything.

[car engine roaring]

Ah I don't know, painful.

Come now.

I don't know oh God.

Sorry.

[child crying]

[soft whimpers]

[soft music]

His name is Joseph.

If someone needs a blood he's going to be there.

He's a good man.

Blood donation man.

Dispatcher one, two, five.

You're a madman [foreign language]

[slow music]

[beeping]

Do you feel okay?

What's the matter?

Bad miscarriage my first pregnancy.

And I just want it to be safe.

And that one is good.

This one is good.

It doesn't look like the last time.

Joseph you'll lose.

You're already lose.

[foreign language]

I see you don't want lose.

[foreign language]

[laughs]

[foreign language]

[beeping]

[whimpering]

Sorry.

[whimpering]

Sorry, I've broken it.

[screaming]

Sorry.

[screaming] oh.

[screaming]oh no

You're through already.

Oh my

You're through.

Oh [screaming]

Breath in keep your body [indistinct]

[screaming]

You see am here for you.

I know [wailing]

I'm helping you just [indistinct]

[screams]

Sorry.

[screaming]

Where's my baby please.

[indistinct]

Put up oxytocin.

So what her blood pressure now?

70 millimeters of mercury.

Okay all right, so we need blood.

We need blood now.

[beeping]

I'm tired.

You can't be tired you've been looking forward

to this thing for a while do you understand?

You can do it, you can.

You say you're coming from which hospital sir?

The dispatch will be there in the next 45 minutes.

[footsteps]

Yeah, hello.

[suspenseful music]

[bike engine roaring]

The oxytocin is stressing the baby too much

so the heart rate is beginning to climb higher.

Is moving a little fast for my comfort.

[bike engine roaring]

Don't sleep

She's lost about 800 millimeters of blood.

Don't sleep.

The bleeding is a lot.

[bike engine roaring]

[cars honking] [engines roaring]

Thirteen can you check the vital signs for me.

And then pulse rate is over 128.

[beeps]

She's lost over a liter of blood.

We need blood now, immediately.

[engines roaring] [cars honking]

Go.

[suspenseful music]

[slow music]

[engine roaring]

[slow music]

[baby crying]

Somebody's here.

It's a boy?

Is my boy.

Congratulations.

[slow music]

[laughs] Oh my God.

Oh baby.

Hi sweetie.

Welcome.

That's sweet.

[slow music]