Global Health Matters

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 episodePolitics, polycrises and changing global health dynamicsAfrican leadership and health sovereigntyCountry ownership, partnerships and accountabilitySustainable health financingReforming international health cooperationThis 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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] on BlueskyDisclaimer: 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.  

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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.

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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.

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 episodeClimate change and health systems in the MENA regionClimate-resilient and sustainable primary healthcareWater scarcity, instability and interconnected health risksCommunity engagement and effective resource managementTurning research and evidence into policy and actionThis 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 XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.  

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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.

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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.

"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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.  

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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.  

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 episodeGender 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 XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.  

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.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on [email protected] 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.