When the first patients began showing up at his door with their health in dramatic decline after taking the treatments he had prescribed, Ibrahim Ali Toure knew he was facing a major health crisis.
As the head of the cardiology department at Niamey University Hospital in Niger, Toure treats thousands of people annually. The flow of patients that come by his office continues uninterrupted, but he receives everyone without complaint. The vast majority suffer from hypertension. Commonly known as high blood pressure, the condition can increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, including strokes, heart attacks or heart failure if not treated properly.
