Everything Is Tuberculosis: Chapter 16 Summary & Analysis

Isatu remained dedicated to Henry as his illness worsened. Dr. Girum knew Henry’s second drug regimen was failing, and Henry himself knew the same. Still, he was remarkably good at keeping himself optimistic, even though hopes for curing his TB were lessening. Henry suffered from other health issues, so, combined with Sierra Leone’s lack of access to new drugs, further treatment options were limited. Henry became fast friends with another patient in his ward, Thompson; the two encouraged each other to continue fighting their shared disease. Henry grew depressed as he and Thompson’s health declined in 2020, and his mood worsened when he woke up one morning to find Thompson dead. Henry wanted to trust Dr. Girum, but after watching his good friend die, he had little hope that he would ever recover.