Global Health Unfiltered

Putting communities first in HIV Research with Yvette Raphael 13.03.2026 47мин

Send a text When Yvette Raphael walked into a stakeholder meeting in Kigali in 2019 and asked Gilead's lead researcher, "What are you going to do differently?", she was doing her job. As co-founder of Advocacy for Prevention of HIV in Africa and chair of the Global Community Advisory Board for the PURPOSE 1 trial, Yvette has spent decades ensuring that women most affected by HIV are not just research subjects, but architects of the science designed to protect them. In this episode, she tells ...

Paying more and Owning less with Nelson Aghogho Evaborhene 27.02.2026 49мин

Send a text The America First Global Health Strategy promises something African health advocates have demanded for decades: ownership. Through time-bound bilateral compacts, countries co-finance health programs with the US, gradually taking over as American funding tapers. By year five, they're supposed to own and sustain these systems themselves. But what if ownership without authority is just dependency with a new face? In this episode, we sit down with Nelson Aghogho Evaborhene, PhD fellow...

Unmasking Global Health: Reflections on 2025 27.12.2025 39мин

Send a text 2025 was the year the comfortable illusions of global health shattered. The U.S. withdrawal from WHO, the dismantling of USAID, and controversial bilateral agreements exposed uncomfortable truths about power, dependency, and who really benefits from "global health partnerships." In this special year-end episode, we hear from global health leaders across the world reflecting on what 2025 revealed and where we're heading in 2026. Featuring perspectives from: Dr. Luchuo Bain on why t...

Unpacking the Anatomy of Aid Dependency with Emilie Koum Besson (Pt 2) 06.12.2025 1ч 5мин

Send a text This is a continuation of our previous episode with Emilie Koum Besson discussing the various forms of aid dependency. In this episode, we focus on the relationship between aid and dependency as well as pragmatic solutions. To support us, consider becoming a paid subscriber on Patreon or making a one-time donation via PayPal. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: globalhealthunfiltered.com Follow us on X (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

Unpacking the Anatomy of Aid Dependency with Emilie Koum Besson (Pt 1) 22.11.2025 59мин

Send a text For decades, global health has treated aid dependency as a neutral, technical condition, something to measure and manage. But what if dependency is actually a feature of the system, not a bug? Emilie Koum Besson introduces a "Matrix of Dependency Dimensions," revealing eight distinct forms, ranging from historical and epistemic to what she calls "hidden co-dependency," in which elites in both the North and the South benefit from the status quo. She challenges the sustainability-ve...

Shaping Public Health Leadership with Amb. John Nkengasong 10.10.2025 53мин

Send a text In this conversation, Dr. John Nkengasong of the Mastercard Foundation and former PEPFAR and Africa CDC lead, discusses the evolution of public health in Africa, highlighting Rwanda's leadership in health financing and his own journey through various roles in public health. He emphasizes the need for a new public health order in Africa, focusing on domestic financing, the importance of political will, and the role of young people in shaping the future of health on the continent. T...

Introducing Africa Health Weekly Podcast 05.09.2025 5мин

Send a text Exciting News! We're launching a new Podcast! We’re excited to introduce our new podcast: Africa Health Weekly — your primary source for the latest health news, innovations, and stories shaping healthcare across the continent. Each week, host Beverly Ndifoin provides timely updates on disease outbreaks, vaccine rollouts, health workforce challenges, policy changes, medical innovations, infrastructure development, and stories of accountability, resilience, and impact. Our goal...

Fighting Childhood Cancers in Ghana with Ella Amoako 31.08.2025 49мин

Send a text Dr. Emmanuela Amoako discusses her journey as a pediatric oncologist and her innovative COMPASS project, which aims to improve childhood cancer detection in Ghana. She emphasizes the importance of empowering caregivers and the challenges faced by children with cancer in low-income countries. The conversation also covers the need for expanded pediatric oncology units, the African Cancer Atlas initiative, and the role of bioethics in healthcare. Dr. Amoako calls for community suppor...

Achieving African Health Sovereignty with Victor Bampoe and Ngozi Erondu 23.08.2025 1ч 5мин

Send a text In this episode of Global Health Unfiltered, hosts Desmond Jumbam and Ulrick Sidney Kanmounye discuss the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit held in Accra, Ghana. They are joined by Dr. Victor Bampoe and Dr. Ngozi Erondu, who share insights on the summit's key outcomes, including the Sustain Initiative aimed at enhancing African health governance and financing. The conversation explores Ghana's health financing strategies, the importance of leadership in health sovereignty, and the ...

Weaning off Foreign Aid with Catherine Kyobutungi 30.03.2025 1ч 3мин

Send a text This week's conversation dives into the implications of the US's withdrawal from WHO and the halting of USAID funding. Our guest, Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi, shares her insights on the disbelief surrounding these actions, the false narratives that have emerged regarding aid, and the responses (or lack thereof) from African leaders. The discussion emphasizes the need for a critical reevaluation of global health systems and the dependency on aid, framing it as both a challenge and an ...

Navigating Colonial Love with Seye Abimbola 07.03.2025 1ч 15мин

Send a text In this episode of the Global Health Unfiltered Podcast, host Desmond Jumbam speaks with Dr. Seye Abimbola about his book, 'The Foreign Gaze: Essays on Global Health.' They discuss how personal experiences, especially familial influences, shape views on global health. Dr. Abimbola shares his mother's impact on his understanding of health systems and social determinants. They also explore 'colonial love' and its effects on current global health practices, alongside the issue of the...

Scaling funding for local climate-health solutions with Vanina Laurent-Ledru 17.11.2024 39мин

Send a text In this episode of the Global Health Unfiltered Podcast, host Desmond Jumbam discusses the critical intersection of climate change and health with Vanina Laurent-Ledru, Director General of Foundation S. They explore the urgent need for locally-led health adaptation solutions, the barriers to effective funding, and the importance of collective action in addressing climate health impacts. The conversation highlights key recommendations from Fondation S's report, innovative climate r...

Racing to AI - Is Africa Being Left Behind? with Adji Bousso Dieng 02.11.2024 47мин

Send a text Our guest is Dr. Adji Bousso Dieng, AI researcher at Princeton University and Google. We explore Dr. Dieng's journey from Senegal to Princeton University, the role of Africa in the global AI landscape, the challenges faced in AI development on the continent, and the importance of education and awareness in leveraging AI for development. The conversation highlights the potential of AI to address local problems and the need for infrastructure and investment to support this growth. W...

Uncovering the root causes of the mpox outbreak with Boghuma Titanji 10.09.2024 59мин

Send a text This week's conversation focuses on the current spread of M-Pox (formerly Monkeypox) in Africa and the response to the outbreak. Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious disease expert at Emory University, discusses the history of M-Pox outbreaks in Africa and the factors contributing to its spread. The conversation also explores the role of African governments, the Africa CDC, and the international community in addressing the outbreak. The need for increased investment in healthcare, r...

Expanding the Circle of Knowledge in Global Health 27.06.2024 1ч 6мин

Send a text In this episode, our guests, Sipho Dlamini, Esmita Charani, Everisto Benyera, and Kwesi Amoak, discuss their research projects on decolonizing global health. They explore topics such as the definition of global health, indigenous knowledge practices, mentorship in global health partnerships, and cross-pollination between Universities and local communities in Africa. Our guests highlight the need to challenge the Western-centric approach to global health and to recognize and value ...

Striking for Doctor's Rights in Kenya with Nicholas Okumu 11.05.2024 36мин

Send a text Guest: Dr. Nicholas Okumu, Orthopedic Oncology Specialist and CEO of Stratos Medical Key Points: Kenya faces a shortage of healthcare workers, with around 4,000 trained physicians, dentists, and pharmacists currently unemployed.Recurring strikes by healthcare workers are common, often related to compensation disputes and lack of implementation of collective bargaining agreements.Poor remuneration and lack of opportunities have led to brain drain, with many Kenyan healthcare worker...

Battling Tuberculosis and Big Pharma with Nandita Venkatesan 22.03.2024 45мин

Send a text Nandita Venkatesan, a Tuberculosis (TB) survivor and advocate, shares her journey of becoming a TB survivor and the challenges she faced in diagnosing, treating, and recovering from the disease. She discusses the stigma and misconceptions associated with TB and the need for greater awareness and understanding. Nandita also highlights her involvement in a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson to improve access to TB treatment. The outcome of the lawsuit resulted in reduced prices f...

Going viral: Social Media & Health Education with Chinonso Egemba aka Aproko Doctor 02.03.2024 1ч 1мин

Send a text Dr. Chinonso Egemba, also known as Aproko Doctor, shares his journey of becoming an influential health educator on social media. He discusses the challenges of balancing medical practice and content creation, as well as the importance of using humor and storytelling in health education. Dr. Egemba also addresses the issue of misinformation and fake news in the health space and highlights the need for collaboration and credible sources. He shares his experience with a brain tumor a...

Unpacking fake prophets, healers and healthcare in Africa with Catherine Kyobutungi 16.02.2024 56мин

Send a text We are thrilled to have Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi back on the show. Our conversation explores the impact of prophets and spiritual healers on people's health across Africa and beyond. We discuss the disturbing revelations from the documentary about TB Joshua and the manipulation, abuse, and exploitation committed by him and other religious leaders. We examine the prevalence of faith healing in Africa and the reasons behind the strong religious beliefs on the continent. The need for...

Exploring Afrocentric Mental Healthcare with Ismahan Soukeyna Diop 03.02.2024 57мин

Send a text Dr. Ismahan Soukeyna Diop, a psychologist and psychotherapist from Senegal, discusses her groundbreaking work in African mythology and storytelling in the field of mental health care. She introduces TAMPSY, a revolutionary psychotherapeutic tool rooted in a decolonial approach that is transforming mental health care in Africa. The conversation explores the importance of culturally appropriate approaches in mental health care, the differences between Western and African approaches,...