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 award-winning documentary filmmaker, speaks about collaborating with Mulikat over the past eight years to bring her story and the stories of other noma survivors to policymakers, academics and the public.

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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.  

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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 national autonomy, global power imbalances and race relations.

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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 from Tanzania and Chairperson of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance Youth Advisory Council. And Hamaiyal Sana is a Pakistani medical doctor and Vice Chair of the World Health Organization’s Youth Council. Together, they delve into the crucial role young people are playing in shaping health-related decision-making today and in the future.

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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 can be cultivated and share inspiring examples of young people around the world developing solutions for mental health for their peers.

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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. Francine Ntoumi is the Founder, President and Executive Director of the Congolese Foundation for Medical Research in the Republic of the Congo who served as the first African leader of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria. Corine Karema is the Director of Malaria, NTDs and Global Health at Quality & Equity HealthCare in Rwanda. Corine is also the former Director of the Rwanda National Malaria Control Programme and served as Interim CEO of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership.

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 “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, Hotez and his colleague  Maria Elena Bottazzi were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for “their work to develop and distribute a low-cost COVID-19 vaccine to people of the world without patent limitation.” He is also one of the leading defenders of vaccines in the United States and the author of several books, including "Preventing the Next Pandemic," "The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science" and “Vaccines did not cause Rachel’s autism.”

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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.  

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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 the 50th anniversary of TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, TDR Director John Reeder also joins this episode to reflect on the challenges and future frontiers of capacity development.

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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 transferable lessons for a global audience. A podcast also requires a talented and multi-disciplinary team.

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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.  

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Dialogues is a new series from the Global Health Matters podcast where we bring you interviews featuring fresh perspectives on global health issues. The goal of each Dialogues is to break through the echo chambers that exist in global health through in-depth, thoughtful conversations. 

In this episode of Dialogues, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Kinari Webb, a medical doctor, public health innovator and thought leader on how human and planetary health are linked. Kinari's journey started at the age of 21 when she worked as a research student in the rainforests of West Kalimantan in Indonesia. Years later, she established a non-profit organization called Health in Harmony. In her book “Guardians of the trees,” Kinari outlines how she and her team developed a novel model that provides health care as an incentive to protect the environment.

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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 © 2024 Global Health Matters. 

In an age where misinformation and disinformation are valid threats to global health, reliable and trustworthy journalism is essential. In this episode, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with two health journalists who might tell the same story in different ways because of their respective audiences.  Stephanie Nolen, the global health reporter for The New York Times, has reported from more than 80 countries around the world. Paul Adepoju is a Nigeria-based freelance health journalist and scientist who regularly reports for top media and science outlets such as Nature, The Lancet, Devex and CNN. He is also the community manager of the Global Health Crisis Forum, which is part of the International Center for Journalists.

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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 © 2024 Global Health Matters.