Global Health Matters

Dialogues is a new series from the Global Health Matters podcast where we bring you interviews featuring fresh perspectives on global health issues. The goal of each Dialogues is to break through the echo chambers that exist in global health through in-depth, thoughtful conversations. In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Kinari Webb, a medical doctor, public health innovator and thought leader on how human and planetary health are linked. Kinari's journey started at the age of 21 when she worked as a research student in the rainforests of West Kalimantan in Indonesia. Years later, she established a non-profit organization called Health in Harmony. In her book “Guardians of the trees,” Kinari outlines how she and her team developed a novel model that provides health care as an incentive to protect the environment.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2024 Global Health Matters.

In an age where misinformation and disinformation are valid threats to global health, reliable and trustworthy journalism is essential. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two health journalists who might tell the same story in different ways because of their respective audiences.  Stephanie Nolen, the global health reporter for The New York Times, has reported from more than 80 countries around the world. Paul Adepoju is a Nigeria-based freelance health journalist and scientist who regularly reports for top media and science outlets such as Nature, The Lancet, Devex and CNN. He is also the community manager of the Global Health Crisis Forum, which is part of the International Center for Journalists. Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2024 Global Health Matters.

Dialogues: a conversation with Olusoji AdeyiDialogues is a new series from the Global Health Matters podcast where we bring you interviews featuring fresh perspectives on global health issues. The goal of each Dialogue is to break through our echo chambers that exist in global health through in-depth, thoughtful conversations. In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks withOlusoji (Soji) Adeyi, a Nigerian global health practitioner, the President of Resilient Health Systems and a Senior Associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In his book, “Global health in practice: investing amidst pandemics, denial of evidence and neo-dependency” (World Scientific, 2022), Soji brings together real-life case studies on issues such as development aid, access to medicines and community involvement. Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2024 Global Health Matters.

It's estimated that 68% of the world's population will be living in cities by 2050. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two pioneering leaders who have taken up the quest to make their cities healthier places by encouraging safe and active mobility. Jesús Carlos Soto is the Head of the Mobility and Transportation Department of the city of Guadalajara, and Silpa Wairatpanij is a Committee Member of the Thailand Walking and Cycling Institute Foundation in Bangkok. Guadalajara and Bangkok are two of 73 cities in Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of cities committed to reducing noncommunicable diseases and injuries through evidence-based interventions. The Partnership is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vital Strategies and the World Health Organization.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2024 Global Health Matters.

In part 2 of our episode on the geopolitics of global health, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Ayoade Alakija, who says "everyone in the health sector must have a basic understanding and training in geopolitics." Ayoade is the co-chair of the African Union’s African Vaccine Delivery Alliance and WHO Special Envoy and co-chair for the ACT-Accelerator. She speaks about the world becoming a “geopolitical cauldron” and how that directly influences global health practice and policy.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2024 Global Health Matters.

In part 1 of our episode on the geopolitics of global health, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Ricardo Baptista Leite, who maps his career journey from treating patients with HIV and tropical diseases to serving four terms as a Member of Parliament in Portugal. He is also the founder and president of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, which brings together current and former political leaders in more than 100 countries pushing for science-based health policies. Together, Garry and Ricardo reflect on the global forces and factors that shape the economic, social, and political landscape affecting health for all. Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2024 Global Health Matters.

Dialogues is a new series from the Global Health Matters podcast where we bring you interviews featuring fresh perspectives on global health issues. The goal of each Dialogue is to break through our echo chambers that exist in global health through in-depth, thoughtful conversations. In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Vidya Krishnan, a health-focused Indian investigative author. Vidya’s book, “The phantom plague: how tuberculosis shaped history” (PublicAffairs Books, 2022), is about how history shaped tuberculosis, especially in India, and how tuberculosis transmission persists because of conditions such as poverty, crowding, a lack of political commitment and poor public policies. She notes in her book that “poverty is the disease, tuberculous is the symptom.” This conversation reminds us, as global health professionals, of many challenges on the long road ahead toward the ultimate goal of tuberculosis elimination and the importance of community engagement. Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

According to WHO, improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) can save 1.4 million lives a year. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Annie Msosa, the Advocacy Advisor for WaterAid in Malawi, who speaks about a recent cholera outbreak in her country that revealed the dangers of unsafe water in health care facilities. David Wheeler, the Executive Director of the Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute in the United States, makes the case for investing in WASH as an essential approach to preventing disease.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

In this episode, our guests tackle snakebite, a topic suggested by one of our research partner organizations, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) in Brazil. While snakebite is a neglected public health issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that each year, 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes, and up to 137,880 people die from snake bites. Host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Fan Hui Wen and Thea Litschka-Koen, snakebite gurus in Brazil and Eswatini, respectively, who reveal untold truths about snake bites in their communities and the complexities associated with producing and administering antivenom. Diogo Martins, the research lead for snakebite at Wellcome in the United Kingdom, makes the case for why we should consider snakebite a global health issue.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

The Safeguarding Health in Conflict coalition recently published a report that documented 232 health workers killed, more than 700 incidents where health facilities were damaged and almost 300 health personnel kidnapped in 2022. This episode dives into the circumstances and risks health workers face in conflict settings. Host Garry Aslanyan speaks to a health worker who has been on the frontline of recent conflict in Sudan. Their testimony is discussed with Susannah Sirkin, former Director of Policy at Physicians for Human Rights, and Samer Jabbour, a cardiologist who has worked in the area of conflict in health since war broke out in his home country of Syria. Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

Dialogues is a new series from the Global Health Matters podcast that includes interviews with some of the world’s sharpest global health minds and brightest thinkers. The goal of each Dialogue is to go beyond the echo chambers that exist in global health and to have in-depth conversations with guests who have explored global health issues from their multi-disciplinary perspectives.In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Daisy Hernández about her personal experience with Chagas disease and the journey she undertook to understand it while writing her book. Daisy is an essayist, memoirist and journalist. Her work focuses on the intersections of race, ethnicity, immigration, class and sexuality. She is the author of “The Kissing Bug: A true story of a family, an insect and a nation’s neglect of a deadly disease” (Tin House, 2021), which won the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and was named a top 10 nonfiction book of 2021 by Time magazine. This conversation reminds us, as global health professionals, to go beyond our public health silos and to present our work in a way that motivates experts, policy-makers and lay audiences towards greater action.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

In the second of our history matters episodes suggested by you, our listeners, our two guests reflect on their personal experiences and engage in an intergenerational discussion on the evolution of sexual and reproductive health. Host Garry Aslanyan’s guests are Carmen Barroso, a lifetime advocate, researcher and implementer for sexual and reproductive health, and Dakshitha Wickremarathne, senior technical lead overseeing the implementation of FP2030’s Asia Pacific Hub. The discussion highlights how history supports future leaders through intergenerational learning and charts a hopeful path for the evolution of key global health challenges.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

This episode brings together two grassroots advocates for clean air who share country case studies from India and South Africa, explaining why it is impossible to have healthy people living on a sick planet.Host Garry Aslanyan navigates the concepts of environmental justice and the impact of air pollution on communities with Shweta Narayan from Health Care Without Harm, who shares how community health workers were successful in pushing for stronger pollution control measures, and Rico Euripidou from groundWork, who reiterates the need for the health sector to advocate for environmental justice.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

In this episode we explore the multifaceted history of global health and how the narratives borne out of colonization, geopolitical events, and national ownership of public health inform policy and practices today. Among the narratives is that of the World Health Organization, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Host Garry Aslanyan navigates global health history with two guests. Sanjoy Bhattacharya considers the decolonization of global health and the democratic founding of WHO, which holds great promise for WHO’s future. Anne-Emanuelle Birn speaks about the evolution of global health and the rise of other key players that are shaping the health agenda. This is the first of our history matters episodes that we will bring to you during this season of Global Health Matters.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

The growing popularity of podcasts as an innovative platform for sharing experiences and views on a wide range of topics was one of the inspirations for starting Global Health Matters. As engaging and learning from our stakeholders is one of our goals, we invited some fellow podcasters and our listeners to join a live Twitter Space discussion on how podcasts are sparking conversations on global health. This bonus episode shares some highlights from the Twitter Space moderated by our podcast host Garry Aslanyan, covering topics such as the unique advantages of podcasts compared with other communication tools, the accessibility of podcasts, and how they are used by educators in the classroom. Guests: -Emmanuella Amoako, co-host of Global Health Unfiltered podcast -Leshawn Benedict and Gordon Thane, hosts of Public Health Insight podcast -Mark Goldberg, host of Global Dispatches podcast -Priti Patnaik, editor of Geneva Health FilesRelated episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.We are keen to engage with you, our listeners, at every step of the way – please feel free to suggest topics and questions to be discussed and share your feedback by dropping us a line at TDRpod@who.int.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

How can scientists and diplomats work together to advance the global health agenda? Ilona Kickbusch, who founded the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, reflects on her experiences working within science diplomacy and the importance of having strong evidence to be able to reach a diplomatic consensus. She also urges scientists to initiate dialogue with policy-makers and diplomats. Aída Mencía Ripley, Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Universidad Iberoamericana in the Dominican Republic, shares an insightful case study of how diplomacy enabled researchers at her university to contribute to the national COVID-19 response.Guests:Ilona Kickbusch: Founder and Chair of the International Advisory Board, Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute Aída Mencía Ripley: Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Universidad IberoamericanaRelated episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.We are keen to engage with you, our listeners, at every step of the way – please feel free to suggest topics and questions to be discussed and share your feedback by dropping us a line at TDRpod@who.int.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

We kick off the new year with a conversation about new advances in technologies that are transforming public health practice. In this episode, we explore the promise and perils of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, infodemics and the importance of culturally appropriate innovations.  While speaking with Florence 2.0, an AI health worker, host Garry Aslanyan tries to get advice on leading a healthier lifestyle. Yara Aboelwaffa, co-founder of Health 2.0 Egypt, tells us about the fastest-growing innovations in the Middle East. And Tim Mackey, co-founder of a health care big data startup, shares the realities of attracting funding for public health-focused innovations. Guests:Yara Aboelwaffa -  Independent digital health consultant Tim Mackey - Professor, University of California San DiegoRelated episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.We are keen to engage with you, our listeners, at every step of the way – please feel free to suggest topics and questions to be discussed and share your feedback by dropping us a line at TDRpod@who.int.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2023 Global Health Matters.

Corruption is one of the most important barriers to implementing universal health coverage around the world; imagine what that world would look like! The subject of corruption in global health is often muted and totally taboo for some to even think it. This podcast episode on corruption is opening up the discussion to a wider audience to understand the scale of the problem for health systems and to hold more people to account for their part in the resulting damage. For this Global Health Matters podcast episode, our host Dr Garry Aslanyan delves deep into the topic to uncover the sources, the offenders and the solutions from our panel of experts. Together they are able to define the subject matter, provide examples from around the globe and piece together the puzzle of how to solve this conundrum.  Monica Kirya – Senior Adviser, U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre  Patty Garcia – Former Minister of Health, Peru. Professor of Public Health, Cayetano Heredia University  Jonathan Cushing - Global Health Programme Director, Transparency International  Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website. We are keen to engage with you, our listeners, at every step of the way – please feel free to suggest topics and questions to be discussed and share your feedback by dropping us a line at TDRpod@who.int. Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.  Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2022 Global Health Matters.

The seasonal influenza virus, or flu as it is widely known, infects over a billion people a year, resulting in up to 650,000 respiratory deaths annually.   For this Global Health Matters podcast episode TDR have partnered with GISRS, the World Health Organization’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System. Podcast host Dr Garry Aslanyan brings together two professors to share their unique experiences from both the global and national level of the influenza response: GUESTS: Mahmudur Rahman – Former Director, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research and National Influenza Center  John McCauley – Former Director, Worldwide Influenza Centre, Francis Crick InstituteIn Bangladesh, we learn from Mahmudur Rahman, the former director of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control, that seasonal influenza was not considered that much as a very serious disease as, before SARS-Cov-2, they did not have the capacity to diagnose it properly.    John McCauley from the World Influenza Centre is passionate about looking at ways to provide an integrated approach to better deal with the initial identification of respiratory infections such as RSV or SARS, this surveillance is important as they require different responses.   By building on the country-led support, knowledge and infrastructure that was built during the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic this could prove to be a game changer for seasonal influenza in the future.     Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.  We are keen to engage with you, our listeners, at every step of the way – please feel free to suggest topics and questions to be discussed and share your feedback by dropping us a line at TDRpod@who.int.   Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.   Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.   Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2022 Global Health Matters.

Global Health Matters is the monthly podcast from TDR, if you like our content then please subscribe. We embrace the fact that public health and global health are intertwined and through our podcast we hope to engage with broader topics bringing together experts from across the globe providing a platform for wider engagement.     For this episode we bring you a topic that rarely reaches the top of the global health agenda, that is the subject of the health of refugees and migrants.  This podcast episode lays out the key issues for the listener and through our guests it builds an awareness to ensure this topic gets better attention in the future. Global Health Matters host Garry Aslanyan speaks with the following guests:  Eugen Ghita Human Rights Monitor and President, Roma Lawyers Association, Romania RomaJust  Reem Mussa Humanitarian Advisor and Coordinator of the Forced Migration Team, Médecins Sans Frontières  During this podcast we hear the health experiences of Eugen Ghita, who was a migrant and he is now working as a human rights monitor on behalf of the Roma community in Europe.  Eugen identified that there is a lack of information dedicated to the refugees and many language barriers.   Reem Mussa from MSF is able to give us context in relation to the policies of the different types of refugees and migrants.  Many countries do allow for access to health care regardless of the legal status of people, but not all, some may only provide for emergency healthcare.  MSF promotes the importance of a separation between border control/ immigration schemes and healthcare access as some migrants without right to remain may fear authorities or deportation and so not access healthcare for that reason.   Kindly note that this podcast discusses mental health for refugees and migrants, TDR would like to refer you to WHO guidance for those seeking further support.    Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.  We are keen to engage with you, our listeners, at every step of the way – please feel free to suggest topics and questions to be discussed and share your feedback by dropping us a line at TDRpod@who.int.   Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.   Follow @TDRnews on Twitter, TDR on LinkedIn and @ghm_podcast on Instagram for updates.   Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization  All content © 2022 Global Health Matters.