Global Health Matters
- Episodes
- 97
- Format
- Series – listen from the start
- Latest episode
- Nov 10, 2026
About the podcast
A podcast on innovative & inspiring actions to achieve health for all
Contributors
Episodes 97
GHM & HSG Guiding Research Special Series | Strengthening Health Systems Amid Polycrises
Building stronger health systems requires navigating an increasingly complex political and financial landscape. As global crises reshape health priorities and partnerships, how can countries strengthen their …
Show notes
Building stronger health systems requires navigating an increasingly complex political and financial landscape. As global crises reshape health priorities and partnerships, how can countries strengthen their leadership and influence over the decisions that affect their populations? And how can international cooperation support sustainable health systems that reflect national priorities?
In this episode of Guiding Research, Dr Garry Aslanyan, Executive Producer and Host of the Global Health Matters podcast, speaks with Dr Ebere Okereke, global health physician and strategist, Associate Fellow at Chatham House and Honorary Affiliate of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore.
Together, they explore how shifts in geopolitics, financing and governance are reshaping global health, with a particular focus on Africa. The discussion considers how countries can strengthen their negotiating power, hold external partners accountable and translate health sovereignty into meaningful country leadership. It also examines pathways towards sustainable health financing as development assistance becomes increasingly uncertain, asking: how can global health partnerships better support country-led action?
In this episode
Politics, polycrises and changing global health dynamics- African leadership and health sovereignty
- Country ownership, partnerships and accountability
- Sustainable health financing
- Reforming international health cooperation
This episode forms part of the Guiding Research podcast series, produced by Global Health Matters in collaboration with Health Systems Global (HSG). The series explores the themes of the Health Systems Research (HSR) 2026 Symposium and brings together leading voices in health policy and systems research.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.The World Health Summit 2026: An epilogue
What did the World Health Summit 2026 reveal about the future of global health? Despite growing geopolitical tensions, funding challenges and uncertainty, the summit brought a renewed sense of optimism and …
Show notes
What did the World Health Summit 2026 reveal about the future of global health? Despite growing geopolitical tensions, funding challenges and uncertainty, the summit brought a renewed sense of optimism and determination to reshape global health. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan is joined by Carsten Schicker, CEO of the World Health Summit, and Ilona Kickbusch, Co-Chair of the World Health Summit Council, to reflect on the conversations, emerging priorities and challenges that defined this year's gathering in Berlin. Together, they explore the importance of rebuilding trust, shifting from aid to investment, strengthening health sovereignty and partnerships, and engaging voices beyond the global health community.
Looking ahead to 2027, they consider what it will take to turn dialogue into meaningful action and build a more resilient and equitable global health future.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.The Inside Track: Rain, needs and the end game
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 …
Show notes
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 and local manufacturing and how these interconnected areas shape countries’ ability to build resilient, self-determined systems. Host Garry Aslanyan and recurring pundits Catherine Kyobutungi and Ricardo Baptista Leite are joined by special guest Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.GHM & HSG Guiding Research Special Series | Building Climate-Resilient Health Systems
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 …
Show notes
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, respond and recover?
In this episode of Guiding Research, Amanda Quintana, climate and health technical specialist and researcher and co-chair of the Health Systems Global Thematic Working Group on Climate Resilient Sustainable Health Systems, speaks with Professor Mey Jurdi, Professor of Environmental Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut.
Together, they explore what climate resilience means for health systems across the MENA region and why climate change must be understood alongside the wider environmental, social and political context. The discussion highlights the importance of strengthening primary healthcare, managing resources effectively, engaging communities and ensuring that research is translated into policy and action. Professor Jurdi also reflects on why preparing for the future must begin today, stressing that sustainable change requires more than individual projects or short-term responses — it requires resilient institutions, coordinated action and long-term vision.
In this episode
- Climate change and health systems in the MENA region
- Climate-resilient and sustainable primary healthcare
- Water scarcity, instability and interconnected health risks
- Community engagement and effective resource management
- Turning research and evidence into policy and action
This episode forms part of the Guiding Research podcast series, produced by Global Health Matters in collaboration with Health Systems Global (HSG). The series explores the themes of the Health Systems Research (HSR) 2026 Symposium and brings together leading voices in health policy and systems research.
* HSG’s involvement in the production of these podcast episodes was supported by IDRC.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Realizing childhood cancer care without borders
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 …
Show notes
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? In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan explores these questions with two guests who bring deeply complementary perspectives. Dr Khaled Ghanem is a pediatric oncologist and medical director of the largest pediatric oncology unit in Syria, run in partnership with the NGO BASMA, which has sustained care and achieved a 76% survival rate, through years of war, earthquakes, and a pandemic. And joining him is Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, a pediatrician, founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation in Nigeria, and president-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control, who works to bring earlier diagnosis and affordable care to children and families across northern Nigeria.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.The Inside Track: Paywalls, Diamonds and Summer Tans
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 …
Show notes
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 why the Gates Foundation stopped paying article processing charges and the growth of Diamond Open Access. The pundits then pick apart Lithuania's controversial plan to send newly trained doctors to rural areas. They close with kudos for El Salvador eliminating trachoma, promising mRNA cancer vaccine results and the public health thinking behind Addis Ababa's makeover.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Trailblazers with Garry: a conversation with Priti Patnaik
"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 …
Show notes
"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 the founding editor of Geneva Health Files — a reader-funded newsletter that tracks the power and politics of global health. Founded in 2020, Geneva Health Files reaches 7,000 readers in 150 countries and has multiple contributors. In this conversation, Priti explains why global health cannot be understood disease by disease, and how her trade and finance lens reveals the money and power behind health decisions. There GHF newsletter can be found here.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Mid-season video trailer
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 …
Show notes
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 2026 and 2027.
We also thank you for listening to Global Health Matters. This short survey (about 8 minutes) will help us understand what is working, what we can do better, and what you would like to hear in Season 6. Your answers are anonymous unless you choose to leave your details at the end.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.GHM & HSG Gender, Inclusion and the Future of Health Systems
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 …
Show notes
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. Sam Oti, Senior Programme Specialist at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), speaks with Professor Asha George, health systems researcher at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Together, they explore why context matters, how lived experience should complement data, and why long-term partnerships are essential for creating sustainable change. The discussion highlights the importance of community participation, inclusive research and ensuring that those whose voices are too often overlooked are meaningfully involved in shaping health systems. Throughout the conversation, one question continues to emerge: Who is missing?
In this episode- Gender and inclusion in health systems
- Community participation and partnerships
- Evidence, lived experience and policymaking
- Equity and social justice Building people-centred and resilient health systems
This episode forms part of the Guiding Research podcast series, produced by Global Health Matters in collaboration with Health Systems Global (HSG). The series explores the themes of the Health Systems Research (HSR) 2026 Symposium and brings together leading voices in health policy and systems research.
* HSG’s involvement in the production of these podcast episodes was supported by IDRC.
Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.
Follow us for updates:- @TDRnews on X
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Behind the scenes of the pandemic agreement
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 …
Show notes
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?
In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan explores these questions with two guests who bring deeply complementary perspectives. Anne-Claire Amprou is the French Ambassador for Global Health and co-chaired the intergovernmental negotiations that delivered the pandemic agreement. And joining her is Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin, Executive Director of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and former Minister of Health of Ethiopia, who helped build one African voice — 47 countries speaking together — during the negotiations.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Encore - Dialogues: A conversation with Daisy Hernández
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 …
Show notes
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 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.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Leading to zero
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 …
Show notes
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 changing governments? And what happens the day after certification, when the vector remains and imported cases still arrive?
In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan explores these questions with two guests who bring deeply complementary perspectives. Dr Jamal Ahmed is WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Director for Polio Eradication and former Chair of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative's Strategy Committee, and has spent his career in polio eradication, from surveillance and laboratory systems to programme implementation. And joining him is Dr Stephen Vreden, Chair of the Committee for the Prevention of Re-establishment of Malaria in Suriname. The country was certified malaria-free by WHO in June 2025, the first country in the Amazon region to reach that milestone.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.GHM & HSG Guiding Research Special Series | Responsible AI for Stronger Health Systems
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 …
Show notes
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 Research, Chaitali Sinha, Senior Programme Specialist in the Global Health Division at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), speaks with Dr. Rose-Mary Owusuaa Mensah Gyening, Senior Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana.
Drawing on her work developing responsible AI for vector-borne disease surveillance, Dr. Gyening discusses how artificial intelligence can support stronger health systems when communities are involved from the outset. The conversation explores why trust, transparency and inclusion are essential to responsible AI, how citizen science can improve health interventions, and why technology should strengthen-not replace-the people and systems at the heart of healthcare.
In this episode
- Responsible AI and health systems
- Community participation and citizen science
- Trust, ethics and data governance
- AI for disease surveillance and preparedness
- Building inclusive and equitable digital health solutions
This episode forms part of the Guiding Research podcast series, produced by Global Health Matters in collaboration with Health Systems Global (HSG). The series explores the themes of the Health Systems Research (HSR) 2026 Symposium and brings together leading voices in health policy and systems research.
* HSG’s involvement in the production of these podcast episodes was supported by IDRC.
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Follow us for updates:- @TDRnews on X
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Encore - Risking lives to save lives
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 …
Show notes
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.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Beyond the red ribbon: the new realities of AIDS
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 …
Show notes
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 perspectives. Magda Robalo is a public health physician and President and co-founder of the Institute for Global Health and Development, who has served as Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Health and as WHO Director of Communicable Diseases. And joining her is Marina Vergueiro, a Brazilian activist, filmmaker, poet and co-founder of LUSO+, the Lusophone Network of People Living with HIV, who has lived with HIV since 2012 and is one of Brazil's most outspoken voices for dignity and mental health in the HIV response.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Encore - Decolonization, localization, and WHO: History Matters Part 1
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 …
Show notes
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.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Trailblazers with Garry: uma conversa com Marcus Lacerda
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 …
Show notes
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 entorno de Brasília, Marcus relembra os missionários católicos que o levaram pela primeira vez ao interior da Amazônia, compartilha suas percepções sobre a malária vivax como um “assassino social silencioso”, uma doença que não apenas tira vidas, mas também compromete o desenvolvimento cognitivo de crianças e reflete sobre o que será necessário para reduzir a distância entre inovação científica e impacto real na vida das pessoas.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.The Inside Track: Lemons, 3G and Dreams
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 …
Show notes
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 solidarity, to the rise of regional institutions like Africa CDC and the African Medicines Agency — this episode maps a global health landscape genuinely at a crossroads.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Trailblazers with Garry: a conversation with Marcus Lacerda
"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 …
Show notes
"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 joined TDR as Director in March 2026 from Fiocruz Amazônia and Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado in Brazil. He is a Brazilian infectious diseases physician and tropical medicine researcher whose work has profoundly influenced malaria elimination strategies and the broader field of global health. Born in Taguatinga, near Brasília, Brazil, Marcus reflects on the Catholic missionaries who first took him deep into the Amazon, his insights on vivax malaria as a silent social killer — a disease that not only takes lives but also robs children of learning abilities — and what it will take to close the gap between research innovation and real-world impact.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Dialogues: a conversation with Amani Ballour on conflict, courage and accountability
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 …
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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 currently serves as Programme Advocacy Officer at the Syrian American Medical Society and as an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. She has also briefed the UN Security Council on the humanitarian crisis in Syria. In this conversation, we hear about her first-hand experiences, explore what it means to keep a hospital functional under siege, and ask what accountability must look like for those who target health workers.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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All content © 2026 Global Health Matters.Encore - Science and diplomacy for global health
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 …
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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 Iberoamericana
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All content © 2026 Global Health Matters.The Inside Track: Oxygen, a mixed bag and the woods
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? …
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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 recent publication on the carcinogenicity of e-cigarettes.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Is it the end of the NGO as we know it?
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 …
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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 deeply complementary perspectives. Deborah Doane is a Partner at Rights CoLab and the convener of The Ringo Project, an initiative dedicated to reimagining international NGOs so that civil society everywhere can be more equitable. She is the author of The INGO Problem: Power, Privilege and Renewal. The second half of the episode features Angela Oduor Lungati, Executive Director of Ushahidi, a Nairobi-based nonprofit technology organization and open-source advocate with over a decade of experience advancing inclusive technology for historically marginalized communities.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.The Inside Track: the pope, the Force and the hope
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 …
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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 experience. If you work in global health and want a better understanding of what’s happening, why it matters and what to watch out for, this series is for you.
What do the pope, the Force and a dose of hope have in common? In this episode of The Inside Track, we discuss planetary health—the idea that human health is inseparable from the health of the planet. The discussion underscores how factors like climate, food and living conditions drive most health outcomes, far beyond clinical care. Host Garry Aslanyan and recurring expert-pundits Catherine Kyobutungi and Ricardo Baptista Leite call for a shift from reactive health systems to prevention, and for rethinking “development” to prioritise sustainability alongside human wellbeing.
Clipping: “Global health governance in transition” — a brief discussion on reimagining global health through new partnerships and stronger local ownership.
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Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinionsEncore - The health journey of refugees and migrants is global health
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 …
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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.
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All content © 2026 Global Health Matters.- Eugen Ghita
Dialogues: a conversation with Laura Spinney on disease, linguistics and humanity
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 …
Show notes
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 books -- "Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World" and "Proto: The Hidden Origins of the World's Languages." Laura's work spans the fields of history, genetics, linguistics and epidemiology to reveal how stories of disease and language shape our collective understanding of humanity. This conversation explores how pandemics alter societies, how words and names influence fear and stigma, and what the world's earliest languages can teach us about connection and change.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.The Inside Track: Broken chairs, horses and audiences
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 …
Show notes
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 climate change to chikungunya in Europe, questioning why warnings so often fail to translate into sustained action. We close with some gratitude — spotlighting promising innovations and leadership, and reaffirming our commitment to clear, courageous conversations in global health. The views expressed are those of the host and guests in their individual capacities and do not necessarily reflect those of their respective organizations.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Trailblazers with Garry: a conversation with Ntobeko Ntusi
“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 …
Show notes
“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 has been president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council since 2024 after serving as Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town. He is deeply passionate about seeing South Africa and the African continent more broadly emerge as a leader in research and innovation. In this conversation, they explore the mentors who have shaped his journey, his vision for the role of science in strengthening African health systems, and how global health can recalibrate power symmetries to advance greater equity.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Rethinking how we fund health
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 …
Show notes
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 and global cooperation. Christoph Benn is Director for Global Health Diplomacy at Joep Lange Institute. He's a physician who has played a central role in shaping innovative financing mechanisms in global health. And joining him is Patrik Silborn, Senior Advisor at UNICEF Afghanistan, who specializes in development financing in fragile and crisis-affected settings and has led large-scale efforts to mobilize resources beyond traditional aid.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.Trailblazers with Garry: a conversation with Axel Pries
"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 …
Show notes
"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 October 2025. Axel is the President of the World Health Summit, based in Germany. He is a medical doctor by training and a professor of physiology, with a long career spanning research, academia and leadership. Together, they explore how the World Health Summit is working to transcend silos in global health, the shared values needed in a changing world and why good communication is essential in shaping the global health narrative of the future.
Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.
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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 © 2026 Global Health Matters.
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