Dr Kapila’s many years of experience in tough and, at times, disheartening situations have not diminished his passion for ‘doing the right thing’. He stands by his principles and urges us to re-evaluate the corporatisation of humanitarian and health discourses. He points out how globalisation has created interconnected dependencies that undermine agency of people, weaken communities and hollow out countries – which in turn erode multi-lateral systems. Similarly, he highlights the bureaucratisation of health systems strengthening is engendering an ecosystem that is inefficient, unresponsive and ..read more

Dr Menghaney’s commitment to articulating and advocating for marginalised groups rings through every conversation with her. In this podcast, she links the role of the Indian pharmaceutical industry to the global movement on enabling access to HIV/AIDS drugs. She explains how the proposed waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 related products seeks to correct for monopoly generated pricing and facilitate access to essential vaccines and therapeutics for all populations. In closing, she points to the power of collaborative action.  ..read more

Dr Najla brings to light the harsh realities of working in one of the toughest settings – in the midst of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The questions and concerns she raises highlights the importance of global health and the compelling need for global solidarity. This episode is an emotional rollercoaster: on the one hand she paints a bleak picture of the dire state of children’s health in Yemen, with unacceptably high malnutrition rates and death from common treatable diseases like diarrhoea and measles, while on the other hand she embodies the tenacity and strength of the human spirit to ..read more

In this episode, Dr Joanne Liu shares her thoughts about the centrality of each person contributing to tackling global health issues from their own perspective and grounding. She points to how crises generate a continuum of difficult choices – and how lucid leadership means picking imperfect solutions, while not losing the imperative to continuously strive for improvement.  ..read more

Dato Dr Amar’s measured tones belie his strong and lifelong passion advocating for the rights of children living with disabilities. His work includes building communities, developing national programmes and changing mind sets to create a more conducive space for children living with disabilities. He recognises the importance of children’s right to play and the positive impact of an inclusive environment for ALL children ..read more

An energetic and enlightening conversationalist, Dr Renzo Guinto doesn’t shy away from the big issues when it comes to the most pressing challenges to planetary health and its spillover on human health outcomes. Dr Guinto highlights three key areas: food systems transformation, the impact of urbanisation and, most importantly, the need to redesign our global economy. He points to how the trend of endless consumption is destroying our planet while at the same time widening inequalities between and within countries. On the topic of decolonising global health, he is pragmatic and emphasises capac ..read more

Dr Kapila’s many years of experience in tough and, at times, disheartening situations have not diminished his passion for ‘doing the right thing’. He stands by his principles and urges us to re-evaluate the corporatisation of humanitarian and health discourses. He points out how globalisation has created interconnected dependencies that undermine agency of people, weaken communities and hollow out countries – which in turn erode multi-lateral systems. Similarly, he highlights the bureaucratisation of health systems strengthening is engendering an ecosystem that is inefficient, unresponsive and ..read more

Dr Menghaney’s commitment to articulating and advocating for marginalised groups rings through every conversation with her. In this podcast, she links the role of the Indian pharmaceutical industry to the global movement on enabling access to HIV/AIDS drugs. She explains how the proposed waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 related products seeks to correct for monopoly generated pricing and facilitate access to essential vaccines and therapeutics for all populations. In closing, she points to the power of collaborative action.  ..read more

The conversation with Dr Chacko is always dynamic, always engaging. Her work is evidence of the power of multi-disciplinary efforts. In this episode, she emphasises the importance of translating scientific breakthroughs to practical, and even commercial, applications. She also reflects on the challenges of being a woman in a male dominated sphere and advises young women to “find their voice ..read more

Dr Prachumsri outlines the very complex pathway to developing a vaccine to protect against the Plasmodium Vivax malaria parasite. This conversation takes on greater poignancy in the context of the discussions around COVID-19 vaccines.  In response to the question on promoting Asian perspectives in research, she talks about the importance of advocating for oneself as well as the role institutions can play in enabling a culture of diverse representation ..read more