Global Health Matters

The Accra Reset comes at a pivotal moment for global development, as external financing declines and countries are being urged to take greater ownership of their development priorities and financing decisions. But does less aid necessarily lead to greater sovereignty—or simply leave countries with fewer resources? Recorded live at the World Health Summit in Berlin, this episode looked beyond health to explore what the Reset means for education, food systems, climate, debt, trade, technology a...

Climate change is placing growing pressure on health systems around the world, but its impacts do not happen in isolation. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, climate risks intersect with water scarcity, conflict, instability and existing pressures on health services. How can health systems prepare for these challenges while continuing to meet the needs of communities today? And what will it take to move from identifying vulnerabilities to building systems that can adapt, respo...

Childhood cancer is one of the most treatable cancers — in wealthy countries, more than 80% of children survive. Yet in much of the world, a child's chances depend not on the disease but on where they are born. In parts of Nigeria, a child with cancer may have only a 30% chance of survival. So what stands between children and the survival we know is possible? What does it take to deliver quality cancer care in a fragile setting? And how can access be widened beyond the medicines themselves? I...

Who gets to read the science, and who pays for it? Fresh back from summer (tans included), Garry Aslanyan and co-hosts Catherine Kyobutungi and Ricardo Baptista Leite return for the fifth installment of The Inside Track. This time they're joined by special guest Ashley Farley, Senior Officer for Knowledge and Research Services in Global Health at the Gates Foundation, to dig into open access and the paywalls that keep research away from the people who need it most. They talk about...

"Trailblazers with Garry" is a series from Global Health Matters, where host Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders, and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. For this episode, Garry sat down with Priti Patnaik, an independent investigative journalist and ...

In this video trailer, Host Garry Aslanyan shares a mid‑season update on Season 5 of Global Health Matters, highlighting the four types of episodes the show now offers — Signature deep‑dives, Dialogue interviews, Trailblazers recorded during his travels, and the newest format, The Inside Track. He also announces that video versions of two episode types will soon be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, encouraging listeners to keep watching and stay tuned for more content through...

Building stronger health systems requires more than technical solutions. It requires understanding the people, relationships and power dynamics that shape health outcomes. As countries work towards more equitable and resilient health systems, how can gender and inclusion become central to research, policymaking and practice? And how can partnerships help ensure that evidence reflects the realities of the communities health systems are designed to serve? In this episode of Guiding Research, Dr...

In May 2025, the world adopted a landmark agreement to prepare for future pandemics. It was the product of 3 years of negotiation across deep political divisions, including the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization. How did the countries with the smallest delegations build real influence at the table? How do health leaders keep people's health at the center of a deeply political process? And what does this achievement signal about cooperation in a divided world? I...

Dialogues is a 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 Ch...

In global health, control means keeping a disease in check and accepting that some cases will remain. Zero is a different proposition altogether: it demands that every village, every community and every child is equally worth reaching. Only smallpox has ever been eradicated, and the diseases closest to that line are held back by conflict, funding pressure and fading public memory. So what does it take to lead an effort all the way to zero? How is commitment sustained across decades and changi...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming health systems, creating new opportunities to improve disease surveillance, diagnostics and decision-making. Yet as AI becomes more integrated into healthcare, important questions remain. How do we ensure these technologies are designed responsibly? How can they strengthen health systems without reinforcing existing inequalities? And what role should communities play in shaping the AI solutions intended to serve them? In this episode of Guiding ...

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 Direc...

Across more than four decades, HIV has driven some of the most remarkable scientific progress — and most powerful activism — that global health has ever seen. Today, ending AIDS is within reach. Yet funding is being cut and political priorities are shifting. As the response shifts from emergency footing toward long-term, chronic care, what risks are being left behind? In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan explores this question and more with two guests who bring deeply complementary perspectiv...

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 foundi...

Neste episódio, Garry se sentou para uma segunda conversa em português com Marcus Lacerda na sede da OMS, em Genebra. Marcus assumiu a direção do TDR em março de 2026, vindo da Fiocruz Amazônia e da Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, no Brasil. Médico infectologista e pesquisador em medicina tropical, ele tem uma trajetória que influenciou profundamente as estratégias de eliminação da malária e, de forma mais ampla, o campo da saúde global. Nascido em Taguatinga, no e...

Can global health serve an increasingly fragmented world? That’s the question Garry Aslanyan asks co-hosts Catherine Kyobutungi and Ricardo Baptista Leite in the latest installment of “The Inside Track.” And this time, the trio is joined by special guest Tenu Avafia, Deputy Executive Director of Unitaid. Their conversation spans AI governance, geopolitics, and access to health. From the mismatch between how AI is built and who it's built for, to the normalization of hate eroding global ...

"Trailblazers with Garry" is a series from Global Health Matters, where host Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders, and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. For this episode, Garry sat down with Marcus Lacerda at WHO headquarters in Geneva. Marcus ...

In this episode of Dialogues, we learn how courage can turn a hospital basement into a symbol of defiance. Host Garry Aslanyan is joined by Dr Amani Ballour, a Syrian paediatrician and the first female doctor of a hospital in a Syrian war zone. For six years, she worked in an underground hospital, treating the wounded, the starving and the survivors of chemical attacks. She tells her story in her memoir, The Cave. Her story has also been told in an Academy Award-nominated documentary. She cur...

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 I...

Host Garry Aslanyan poses the question at the heart of the latest Inside Track conversation: in 2026, after everything COVID-19 taught us, are we genuinely better prepared for the next pandemic-like event? It's the question that sets the tone for a frank conversation with Catherine Kyobutungi and Ricardo Baptista Leite — covering vaccine manufacturing in Africa, the politics of preparedness, and why the gap between intent and action remains stubbornly wide. The guests also discuss a rec...

For decades, international NGOs have been central pillars of global health and humanitarian response efforts. But with aid budgets shrinking, trust eroding and local civil society organizations demonstrating the power of proximity every day, the model is under scrutiny. Who gets to lead? Who gets to decide? And what would more equitable, locally grounded international cooperation actually look like? In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan explores these questions with two guests who bring ...

The Inside Track is a new series from Global Health Matters offering context, clarity and foresight that you won’t find in traditional news shows. Each episode brings host Garry Aslanyan together with two recurring voices: Catherine Kyobutungi, who brings insight from the frontlines of health research and policy in Africa, and Ricardo Baptista Leite, a physician and global thinker on health, politics and AI. Together, they unpack the headlines with candid conversations grounded in lived exper...

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 mi...

Dialogues is a series from the Global Health Matters podcast where we bring you interviews featuring fresh perspectives on global health issues. The goal of each Dialogues episode is to break through the echo chambers that exist in global health through in-depth, thoughtful conversations. For this episode, we turn to language, memory and the threads that connect pandemics and people across time. Host Garry Aslanyan is joined by Laura Spinney, a science journalist, novelist and author of two ...

In our first episode of The Inside Track, we examine the fragile state of information integrity in global health. Host Garry Aslanyan and recurring expert-pundits Catherine Kyobutungi and Ricardo Baptista Leite unpack how misinformation spreads, why trust erodes and what responsibility health leaders carry in this environment. We explore how perception, belief and narrative shape public understanding — especially in the wake of COVID-19. We also react to a recent Guardian article linking...

“Trailblazers with Garry" is a series from Global Health Matters, where host Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. For this Trailblazer episode, Garry met up with Ntobeko Ntusi in Cape Town, South Africa. Ntobeko ...

Across the global health landscape, governments are facing mounting debt, development assistance is under pressure and the gap between ambition and available resources continues to widen. So how do we mobilize resources differently? What does innovative finance look like? And which approaches are truly scalable, equitable and fit for today's realities? To explore these questions, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two leaders who have spent decades working at the intersection of health, finance ...

"Trailblazers with Garry" is a series from Global Health Matters, where host Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. For this episode, Garry sat down with Axel Pries during the World Health Summit in Berlin in Octob...

Brain health influences whether people can live productive and meaningful lives and whether the economies of countries can thrive. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan is joined by two pioneers who advocate not only for brain health, but also for brain capital and the brain economy. George Vredenburg is the founding chairman of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, a global public-private initiative focusing on linking and scaling Alzheimer's and brain health research and delivery systems worl...

“Trailblazers with Garry" is a series from Global Health Matters, where host Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders, and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. For this episode, Garry visited Professor John Gyapong at the African Research Universities...

Dialogues is a series from the Global Health Matters podcast where we bring you interviews featuring fresh perspectives on global health issues. The goal of each Dialogues episode is to break through the echo chambers that exist in global health through in-depth, thoughtful conversations. In this episode of Dialogues, we take a deeper look at stigma and how often unconsciously we as global health professionals may be perpetuating it. Host Garry Aslanyan is joined by Alex Brewis, R...

Global Health Matters is the monthly podcast from TDR, please subscribe. GHMs brings you topical subjects and insightful discussions with health experts from across the globe, including a focus on low-to middle-income countries. Are you a professional looking to progress further or perhaps a global health student at the early stage of your career? There are so many routes to get into a career in global health, so this podcast episode discussion is with two career professionals sharin...

In partnership with the World Health Summit for an episode recorded live at this year’s meeting in Berlin, host Garry Aslanyan sat down with Monica Bharel, Clinical Lead of Public Sector at Google, and Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary of the Africa Leaders Malaria Alliance. Global health knowledge sharing is rapidly evolving due to advances in technologies, increased data availability, stronger community engagement and the rise of voices beyond traditional institutions. Joy and Monica shared...

"Trailblazers with Garry" is a new series from Global Health Matters, where host Dr Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders, and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. In this Trailblazers episode, host Garry Aslanyan sits down with Lena Nanushyan, First Dep...

This episode launches Season 5 of Global Health Matters, which will explore the future of global health. In a time of turbulence, transition and transformation, we need diverse voices to help shape what comes next. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two thought leaders: Paola Abril Campos Rivera, Research Professor of health policy at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, and Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of the African Population and Health Research Center in Kenya. To...

From climate change and conflict to economic instability, today’s converging global crises are reshaping the landscape of child health. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two leading voices in global health: Landry Tsague, Director of the Center for Primary Health Care at Africa CDC, and Debra Jackson, Takeda Chair in Global Child Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. They share insights on what should be done to strengthen health systems, empower...

"Trailblazers with Garry" is a new series from Global Health Matters, where host Dr Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders, and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. In this Trailblazers episode, Garry sits down with Adalsteinn (Steini) Brown, Dean of the ...

In 2021, the World Health Organization made a historic recommendation: to widely use the first ever malaria vaccine, RTS,S. This recommendation was based on evidence generated from a pilot vaccine implementation programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has reached more than 800 000 children since 2019. This is an excellent example of how evidence based on implementation research tells us whether health interventions, such as vaccines, will be effective in real life, after clinical trials sho...

What are the colonial legacies in global health? And what impact have they had on how some health and health research programmes are run in Africa? In this episode, we speak to two visionary women leaders who tell us what’s wrong in global health and give concrete steps toward more equitable and inclusive partnerships. Host Garry Aslanyan speaks with the following guests: Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of the African Population and Health Research Center in KenyaAgnes Binagwah...

Substance use is a global public health challenge, affecting Northern and Southern countries alike. Yet strategies for managing it have varied widely. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Kwame McKenzie, a practicing psychiatrist and CEO of the Wellesley Institute. He's also Director of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada. Together they unpack how language shapes policy, explore the impact of the pandemic on substance use and discuss lessons from ...

This episode features three renowned communicators of science who work to inform, educate and inspire the public about health issues. Microbiologist Natalia Pasternak has become one of the leading communicators of science in Brazil and internationally. As founder of Instituto Questão de Ciência, she offers advice on how others can set up science communication institutes in their countries. Imogen Foulkes reflects upon how scientists can better communicate their research to the public, g...

In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Joanne Liu, a Canadian pediatric emergency doctor and former International President of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). She is currently a professor at McGill University School of Population and Global Health, where she leads research on pandemic preparedness and emergency response. In this conversation, she speaks about her new book, "Ebola, Bombs, and Migrants." It's a powerful reflection on her leadership journey, and what it re...

"Trailblazers with Garry" is a new series from Global Health Matters, where host Dr Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders, and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. Step inside the Wellcome Trust in London with our next trailblazer, the newly appointed CE...

Whether you watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" movie or have recently experimented with ChatGPT, it's impossible to ignore the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in our daily lives. AI is often praised for its potential to transform healthcare. Yet how it will truly revolutionize the field remains unclear. In this episode, host Dr Garry Aslanyan speaks with two experts at the forefront of AI's integration into national health systems. Alexandre Chiavegatto Filho, Professor of machine lea...

In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Chikwe Ihekweazu, Assistant Director General at the World Health Organization (WHO) and acting Regional Director for the WHO Regional Office for Africa, and his wife, Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch. The conversation centers on their latest book, An Imperfect Storm: A Pandemic and the Coming of Age of a Nigerian Institution. Chikwe discusses his personal journey in establishing the Nigerian Centr...

From a global challenge to the Maasai steppe of Tanzania Most climate change predictions show an upward trend in temperature for at least the next nine decades. Rural communities whose health and livelihoods depend on the environment are more vulnerable to climate change. In recent years, persistent droughts have made Maasai communities in northern Tanzania vulnerable to sleeping sickness, a disease spread by the tsetse fly. Paul Gwakisa of Sokoine University has dedicated his research to hel...

"Trailblazers with Garry" is a new series from Global Health Matters, where host Garry Aslanyan sits down with trailblazers — thinkers, leaders, and influencers shaping the future of global health — for short face-to-face conversations, available in both audio and video formats. It’s a chance to get to know the people behind the work and hear their perspectives on the current global health landscape. Our first trailblazer is Tulio de Oliviera, Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and...

With so many pressing global health challenges and limited resources, what determines whether an issue makes it onto the global health agenda? What factors shape its priority status? In this episode, using oral health as a case example, we take a closer look at the framing of global health issues. Host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Habib Benzian, a dentist, professor of epidemiology and health promotion at New York University and Co-Director of the WHO Collaborative Center on Oral Health. Bulela...

In this episode, we turn the lens on ourselves as the global health community. Host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Hani Kim and Seye Abimbola about how elite global health actors can marginalize local perspectives and knowledge. They stress the importance of localizing efforts and acknowledging implicit biases to address the structural inequalities that perpetuate health disparities. Seye Abimbola is Associate Professor at the University of Sydney School of Public Health and inaugural editor-in-c...

This two-part episode shines a light on the lived experiences of two remarkable individuals affected by NTDs. We explore firsthand how disability influences and affects their lives. In part 2, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Dan Izzett, a former civil engineering technician and pastor who has turned his retirement into a powerful mission advocating for people living with leprosy. Peter Waddup, the CEO of the Leprosy Mission in Great Britain, provides a thoughtful reflection on Dan's message a...

This two-part episode shines a light on the lived experiences of two remarkable individuals affected by NTDs. We explore firsthand how disability influences and affects their lives. In part 1, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Mulikat Okanlawon, a survivor of noma in Nigeria and President of the Elysium Noma Survivors Association. Thanks to the tireless advocacy of Mulikat and other survivors, noma was officially recognized as an NTD by the World Health Organization in 2023. Claire Jeantet, an ...

In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Themrise Khan, a Pakistani independent development professional and researcher with almost 30 years of experience in international development, aid effectiveness, gender and global migration. Themrise is also the co-editor of the book "White saviorism in international development: theories, practices and lived experiences." In this dialogue, she shares her views on the origins of this concept and how it continues to influence natio...

The world is witnessing its largest youth generation ever, with half of the global population under 30. A sustainable future hinges on the meaningful engagement of young people. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with three charismatic young global health leaders. Inês Costa Louro is a first-year medical doctor from Portugal and the former Vice President for External Affairs of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations. Aloyce Urassa is a public health scientist ...

UNICEF estimates that 13% of adolescents live with a diagnosed mental health disorder, with depression and anxiety accounting for 40%. To explore the challenges surrounding the mental health of today’s youth, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Jaime Young, a passionate youth leader, mental health advocate and family caseworker at the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund, and Zeinab Hijazi, a clinical psychologist and Global Lead on Mental Health at UNICEF. Together, they discuss how resilience ca...

Significant progress has been made towards a malaria-free world. Forty-three countries have successfully eliminated malaria, with Cabo Verde becoming the third African country declared malaria-free earlier this year. Africa, however, still continues to experience the highest share of the global malaria burden, with 94% of malaria cases and malaria deaths. To discuss the challenges and opportunities to eliminate malaria, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two influential African women leaders. Fr...

“Dialogues” is a series from the Global Health Matters podcast where we bring you interviews featuring fresh perspectives on global health issues. The goal of each Dialogues episode 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 Peter Hotez, an internationally-recognized physician-scientist in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development. In 2022, Hot...

We kick off season 4 of the Global Health Matters podcast with an episode that highlights the remarkable career journeys of two research leaders and the role of capacity development in their formation. Host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Wilfried Mutombo, the Head of Clinical Operations at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as Yasmine Belkaid, President of the Institut Pasteur in France. As this episode is produced in celebration of...

This bonus episode is slightly different as our Executive Producer and Host Garry Aslanyan changes seats with Senior Producer, Lindi van Niekerk, to look behind the scenes of the Global Health Matters podcast. Many of you, our listeners, were curious about what it takes to host and produce your favourite podcast. Producing a podcast is both an art and a skill. It requires great consideration in identifying representative guests, asking thoughtful questions, and drawing out relevant and transf...

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 starte...

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 scien...

Dialogues: a conversation with Olusoji Adeyi 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 withOlusoji (Soji) Adeyi, a Nigerian global health practitioner, the President of Resilient Health Syste...

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 B...

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 episod...

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, Gar...

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...

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 ...

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 u...

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 Direc...

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 wit...

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 highlig...

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 Eurip...

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 foundi...

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 h...

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 I...

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 th...

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 Healt...

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: GUES...

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 a...

Global Health Matters is the monthly podcast from TDR, please subscribe. GHMs brings you topical subjects and insightful discussions with health experts from across the globe, including a focus on low-to middle-income countries. Are you a professional looking to progress further or perhaps a global health student at the early stage of your career? There are so many routes to get into a career in global health, so this podcast episode discussion is with two career professionals sharin...

An important Global Health Matters podcast topic this month, discussing the need to build an awareness of the ways we interact with colleagues in the workplace to adapt our programmes to be more inclusive. We need to talk about “the future of global health through diversity and dignity”. Host Garry Aslanyan interviews our special guests who have a deep understanding of diversity and dignity and their application worldwide. Our first guest, Marie Ba, is from Ouagadougou Par...

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new global awareness of the accessibility of diagnostics: we need to test to protect with equal access for all. In this episode of Global Health Matters, we answer key questions such as “how available are essential diagnostics in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)?” Host Garry Aslanyan interviews our special guests who have a deep understanding of diagnostics and their application worldwide. Bill Rodriguez is CEO of FIND, the global alliance ...

What are the differences between the various paths to a disease-free world? Why are we pursuing eradication of some diseases while for others, control or elimination is the more realistic option? In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with three experts who answer these questions and more. Uche Amazigo shares lessons she learned during her tenure as the Director of the WHO African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control; David Reddy discusses the new and exciting innovations for mala...

Episode 12 Championing health equity in South Africa As the world commits to equitable access to medicines and vaccines, is this just on paper or a reality? In the case of COVID-19, as of early March 2022, 74% of those in high-income countries have been fully vaccinated, compared with just 11% of people in low-income countries. Can South Africa’s experience with tackling HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 point to future solutions for other low- and middle-income countries? How has intellectual prop...

Throughout the first season of Global Health Matters, we’ve covered a range of topics including research during the COVID-19 pandemic, tackling racism within global health, science communication and implementation research. For this bonus episode, host Garry Aslanyan sat down with two of our listeners who shared their reflections on various episodes from Season 1: Teresa Soop, Senior Research Advisor, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)Mohammad Al Safadi, Senior ...

What are the colonial legacies in global health? And what impact have they had on how some health and health research programmes are run in Africa? In this episode, we speak to two visionary women leaders who tell us what’s wrong in global health and give concrete steps toward more equitable and inclusive partnerships. Host Garry Aslanyan speaks with the following guests: Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of the African Population and Health Research Center in KenyaAgnes Binagwah...

Increasingly, digital technologies are transforming the delivery of health services and the functioning of health systems. Many of these technologies have also presented new ways of doing research and informed rapid decision-making. In this episode, we hear how UNICEF worked with Jamaica to rapidly deploy an electronic registry solution for the COVID-19 vaccine. We also learn that the Philippine government created a huge opportunity for research by allowing open access to data from COVID-19 t...

The World Health Organization recently made the historic recommendation to widely use the first ever malaria vaccine, RTS,S. This recommendation was based on evidence generated from a pilot vaccine implementation programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has reached more than 800 000 children since 2019. This is an excellent example of how evidence based on implementation research tells us whether health interventions, such as vaccines, will be effective in real life, after clinical trials sh...

This episode features three renowned communicators of science who work to inform, educate and inspire the public about health issues. Microbiologist Natalia Pasternak has become one of the leading communicators of science in Brazil and internationally. As founder of Instituto Questão de Ciência, she offers advice on how others can set up science communication institutes in their countries. Imogen Foulkes reflects upon how scientists can better communicate their research to the public, g...

Strong research ecosystems require strong research leaders. In this episode, we hear from Karlee Silver who speaks about how Grand Challenges Canada has supported the discovery and research of new solutions to health and other challenges. Tembeka Mpako-Ntusi of Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa says research management at universities should address not only current challenges but also those lurking on the horizon. Host Garry Aslanyan is joined by the following guests: K...

From a global challenge to the Maasai steppe of Tanzania Most climate change predictions show an upward trend in temperature for at least the next nine decades. Rural communities whose health and livelihoods depend on the environment are more vulnerable to climate change. In recent years, persistent droughts have made Maasai communities in northern Tanzania vulnerable to sleeping sickness, a disease spread by the tsetse fly. Paul Gwakisa of Sokoine University has dedicated his research to hel...

Mamás del Río is a social innovation focused on improving maternal and newborn health in rural regions of the Amazon in Peru and Colombia. This episode explores how communities, citizen-led organizations and researchers are driving social innovations such as Mamás del Rio to improve health service delivery and strengthen health systems. Host Garry Aslanyan is joined by the following guests: Magaly Blas Director, Mamás del Río (Mothers of the River) Luis Gabriel Cuervo Senior Advisor, Pan Ame...

Sharing experiences and perspectives on how Tanzania and South Africa’s research communities have tackled the pandemic Africa has not seen the same scale of devastation from COVID-19 seen in other regions. Join host Garry Aslanyan as he and his guests explore some of the reasons why African countries have been able to deal with the pandemic so effectively. These include a prior experience in dealing with epidemics such as Ebola, strong sub-regional research networks and long-standing in...

In science, globally, women account for only about 30% of researchers, according to UNESCO, and evidence shows that their participation is even lower at leadership and decision-making levels. Why is that, and what is being done to better support women’s careers in science? Join Dr Garry Aslanyan and his expert panel of guests as they share their inspiring journeys as women leaders in global health. They also discuss the root causes of gender inequality in science and some strategies they have...

The first episode of Global Health Matters takes us on a journey to Somalia, India and Benin to explore how researchers have adapted to one of the greatest challenges we have ever faced — the COVID-19 pandemic. Join Dr Garry Aslanyan and his expert panel of guests as they discuss the innovative approaches they have taken to continue their work amid the crisis. Guests Suneeta Krishnan, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, India Country OfficeMuna Abdi, Somaliland Central Statistics...

The Global Health Matters podcast is a new podcast that will explore how innovative and inspiring research contributes to achieving health for all. Hosted by Dr Garry Aslanyan with a variety of guests, the podcast discusses key questions, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on research, promoting gender equality and women in global health leadership, the pros and cons of open access to data, role of implementation research and many other topics and issues. We look forward to engaging ...