Podcast
Global Health Matters
Hosted by TDR - Dr Garry Aslanyan, Executive Producer and Host · EN
A podcast on innovative & inspiring actions to achieve health for all
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Encore - Science and diplomacy for global health
2w ago00:34:16Tap to summarizeHow can scientists and diplomats work together to advance the global health agenda? Ilona Kickbusch, who founded the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, reflects on her experiences working within science diplomacy and the importance of having strong evidence to be able to reach a diplomatic consensus. She also urges scientists to initiate dialogue with policy-makers and diplomats. Aída Mencía Ripley, Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Universidad Iberoamericana in the Dominican Republic, shares an insightful case study of how diplomacy enabled researchers at her university to contribute to the national COVID-19 response.Guests:Ilona Kickbusch: Founder and Chair of the International Advisory Board, Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute Aída Mencía Ripley: Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Universidad IberoamericanaRelated episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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The Inside Track: Oxygen, a mixed bag and the woods
3w ago00:55:22Tap to summarizeHost 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.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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Is it the end of the NGO as we know it?
Apr 2100:52:19Tap to summarizeFor 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.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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The Inside Track: the pope, the Force and the hope
Apr 700:49:10Tap to summarizeThe 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.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions
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Encore - The health journey of refugees and migrants is global health
Apr 200:38:24Tap to summarizeGlobal 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. Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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Dialogues: a conversation with Laura Spinney on disease, linguistics and humanity
Mar 2400:40:33Tap to summarizeDialogues 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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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The Inside Track: Broken chairs, horses and audiences
Mar 1000:51:04Tap to summarizeIn 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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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Trailblazers with Garry: a conversation with Ntobeko Ntusi
Mar 500:34:20Tap to summarize“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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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Rethinking how we fund health
Feb 2400:50:48Tap to summarizeAcross 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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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Trailblazers with Garry: a conversation with Axel Pries
Feb 1000:24:28Tap to summarize"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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter. Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky 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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