Global Health Unfiltered

Global Health Unfiltered!

A podcast about the unspoken realities of global health in Africa and the world

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Episodes

Going viral: Social Media & Health Education with Chinonso Egemba aka Aproko Doctor
Mar 2 2024
Going viral: Social Media & Health Education with Chinonso Egemba aka Aproko Doctor
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 and how it has impacted his work. The conversation also touches on the banter between Nigeria and Ghana, the importance of support systems, and tips for getting into the healthcare field. Dr. Chinonso emphasizes the power of storytelling and collaboration in healthcare.TakeawaysUsing humor and storytelling can make health education more engaging and relatable.Collaboration and fact-checking are essential in combating misinformation and fake news in the health space.The future of online education in health will involve storytelling, movies, and music to reach a wider audience.Overworking can be a coping mechanism, but it's important to prioritize self-care.Collaboration can lead to bigger impact in healthcare.Don't be afraid of criticism, but be self-aware and open to making amends.Integrate work and life to avoid burnout.Start taking action towards your goals, even if it's not perfect.Rest and pacing yourself are important for sustainability.Follow Aproko Doctor on Instagram: @aproko_doctorLearn more about Aproko Doctor hereTo support us, consider becoming a paid subscriber on Patreon or making a one-time donation via PayPal.Follow us on X (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
Unpacking fake prophets, healers and healthcare in Africa with Catherine Kyobutungi
Feb 16 2024
Unpacking fake prophets, healers and healthcare in Africa with Catherine Kyobutungi
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 integration between science and religion is highlighted, along with the challenges faced by African scientists and healthcare practitioners. We also explore the lack of accountability and the difficulty of achieving justice when there is collusion between politics and religion. Catherine emphasizes the importance of resisting oppression and treating patients with respect and calls for reevaluating power dynamics in science and policy, urging scientists to listen and engage with communities. Enjoy! TakeawaysAccountability is often lacking in cases of wrongdoing, particularly in religious and political contexts.Collusion between politics and religion can make accountability even more challenging.Resisting oppression and treating patients with respect is crucial in healthcare and research.Power dynamics in science and policy need to be examined, and scientists should listen to and engage with communities.Humility and creating space for discussions are essential in addressing pervasive problems.Follow Catherine on X: @CKyobutungiTo support us, consider becoming a paid subscriber on Patreon or making a one-time donation via PayPal.Follow us on X (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
Exploring Afrocentric Mental Healthcare with Ismahan Soukeyna Diop
Feb 3 2024
Exploring Afrocentric Mental Healthcare with Ismahan Soukeyna Diop
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, the role of African mythology in psychology, and the impact of TAMPSY (Tales of African Mythology Psychotherapy) on patients and practitioners. Dr. Diop also highlights her book on adornment, masquerade, and African femininity.Takeaways- Culturally appropriate approaches are crucial in mental health care to ensure that interventions are relevant and effective for individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.- African mythology and storytelling can significantly contribute to mental health care by providing a framework for understanding and addressing psychological challenges.- There is a need to challenge the colonial influence on psychology and embrace diverse cultural perspectives in mental health care.- TAMPSY, a psychotherapeutic tool rooted in African mythology, is positively impacting mental health care in Senegal, providing a more contextualized and culturally relevant approach.To learn more about TAMPSY, visit tampsy-optoa.com Dr. Soukeyna's books can be found hereTo support us, consider becoming a paid subscriber on Patreon or making a one-time donation via PayPal. Become a sponsor
Analyzing Nigeria's Anti-Brain Drain Bill with Ifeanyi Nsofor
Apr 28 2023
Analyzing Nigeria's Anti-Brain Drain Bill with Ifeanyi Nsofor
Nigerian medical and dental graduates are emigrating in droves to high-income countries such as the USA, UK, and UAE. In response to this crisis, Rep. Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson has sponsored a bill amending the 2004 Medical and Dental Practitioners Act. Nigeria-trained medical and dental practitioners will have to work in Nigeria for five years before they are granted a full license. To discuss this bill with us today is Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor. As a global health equity advocate, he will bring unique insight into the state of health workforce retention in Nigeria. This insight is bolstered by his past experience at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical School where he graduated as a medical doctor. He has since gone on to train in community health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, strategic frameworks for non-profit organizations at the Harvard Kennedy School health policy and health economics at Jesus College, Oxford University. Simply put, his contributions to this discussion cannot be overstated.ResourcesRead Dr. Nsofor's medium piece here: Doctors in Nigeria Deserve Better Treatment from Their Lawmakers Here is an editorial by the Daily Trust in support of the bill for an opposing view: Yes To The 5-Year Doctors’ Mandatory Service BillAnd the response from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). Follow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn (Global Health Unfiltered!), and Instagram (@ghunfiltered).Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comAudio Production and social media marketing: Diana NkhomaResearch intern: Chisomo MwaleTheme music: Antidote by KetsaArtwork: Chidiebere Ibe
Examining Dependency In Global Health Financing With Sam Oti
Apr 13 2023
Examining Dependency In Global Health Financing With Sam Oti
Welcome once again to the global health unfiltered podcast, a podcast about unspoken realities about global health in Africa and the world.  Today, we will be talking about funding global health initiatives; who funds what? How are the decisions made? Are African countries too reliant on external funding for public health? And we have an awesome guest with tons of experience in this sector who will be sharing his views with us. We would also like to acknowledge the sponsors of this episode, the “Promoting Decolonization using innovative knowledge practices" grant hosted by the Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health of Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Medicine. Dr. Sam Oti is a Senior Program Specialist at Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). He operates out of the Nairobi-based regional office for Eastern and Southern Africa, where he serves as the primary point of contact for IDRC's global health initiatives.  He is also a commissioner on the Chatham House Commission for Universal Health and a co-founder of the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa. Additionally, Dr. Oti hosts “MedxTek Africa”; a popular podcast highlighting digital health and health technology innovations from across the African continent. In 2020, Dr. Oti co-founded the Global Health Decolonisation Movement in Africa – a professional network that is seeking to mobilize a critical mass of African voices to speak out about what we perceive as the manifestations of coloniality in global health. The movement’s mission strongly aligns with the Africa CDC’s call for a “New Public Health Order”.Resources:https://wellcomecollection.org/articles/Y1FlZxEAAEolDkdAhttps://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/development-co-operation-report-2023_2c087f8b-enhttps://academic.oup.com/isq/article/66/1/sqab092/6473249 Follow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn (Global Health Unfiltered!), and Instagram (@ghunfiltered).Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comAudio Production and social media marketing: Diana NkhomaResearch intern: Chisomo MwaleTheme music: Antidote by KetsaArtwork: Chidiebere Ibe
Elevating Genetic Research In Africa with Ambroise Wonkam
Feb 28 2023
Elevating Genetic Research In Africa with Ambroise Wonkam
In today’s episode, we discuss genetic research as it pertains to the African genome. Joining us today to talk about this topic is world-renowned geneticist, Ambroise Wonkam.  Ambroise Wonkam is a Professor of Genetic Medicine and director of the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Professor Wonkam received medical training from the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Yaoundé I. He completed a thesis in Medical Sciences from the University of Geneva in Switzerland, and a Ph.D. in Human Genetics from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He has also received training as a specialist medical geneticist from the University of Switzerland. Professor Wonkam is a well-seasoned researcher, with more than 190 peer-reviewed publications. His research interests hone in on 1) Genomics modifiers of sickle cell disease (SCD); 2) Genetics of hearing loss, and 3) Ethical and educational issues in human genetics in Africa. Over the past 10 years, Prof. Wonkam has successfully led numerous NIH- and Wellcome Trust–funded projects, accounting for about 20 million USD. His research projects span several countries across Africa including Tanzania, Cameroon, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Mali, Sudan, Rwanda, and Ghana.Additionally, Professor Wonkam serves as president of the African Society of Human Genetics, the chair of the steering committee of H3 Africa, a board member of the International Federation of Human Genetics Societies, a steering committee member of the Global Genetic Medicine Collaborative (G2MC), and a faculty scholar of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO). Furthermore, he is the associate editor of the American Journal of Human Genetics, the American Journal of Medical Genetics, and the Journal of Community Genetics, the academic editor of PLoS One, and a member of the editorial board of Human Genetics.Links/References:Five Priorities of African Genomics Research: The Next FrontierAmbroise Wonkam, Nchangwi S. Munung, Collet Dandara, Kevin K. Esoh, Neil A. Hanchard, Guida LandoureAnnual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics 2022 23:1, 499-521https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-genom-111521-102452 Follow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn (Global Health Unfiltered!), and Instagram (@ghunfiltered).Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comAudio editing and social media marketing: Diana NkhomaResearch intern: Chisomo MwaleTheme music: Antidote by KetsaArtwork: Chidiebere Ibe
Fostering African Medical Journals With Raoul Kamadjeu
Feb 1 2023
Fostering African Medical Journals With Raoul Kamadjeu
This is the first episode of a six-episode series that we will be realising once a month for the next six months. This special series is thankfully supported by the "Promoting Decolonization using innovative knowledge practices" grant hosted by the Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health of Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Medicine. In these six episodes, we will showcase the contributions of six African global health leaders.Our first guest in this series is Raoul Kamadjeu, a physician, co-founder, and managing editor of the Pan African Medical Journal. He is driven in all his projects by a simple motto - Start small, but think big! He got his doctorate in Medicine in Cameroon and completed his MPH in Belgium (Université Libre de Bruxelles). He experienced the broad spectrum of public health practice, from the district in Cameroon to international arenas with the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He worked with the CDC from 2004 to 2006 as Public Health Informatics Fellow and from 2007 to 2014 as a medical epidemiologist. He currently works for UNICEF HQ (Public Health Emergencies) and is a Ph.D. candidate (Epidemiology), with the City University of New York (CUNY), Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. His expertise spans fields as varied as epidemiology, biostatistics, informatics, communication, computer programming, and project management.Follow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn (Global Health Unfiltered!), and Instagram (@ghunfiltered).Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comAudio editing and social media marketing: Diana NkhomaResearch intern: Chisomo MwaleTheme music: Antidote by KetsaArtwork: Chidiebere Ibe
Championing Safe Maternal Surgical Care With Salome Maswime
Jan 24 2023
Championing Safe Maternal Surgical Care With Salome Maswime
Welcome back to a new year and a new season of global health unfiltered! Thank you to all the fans who tuned in last year and continue to listen in. One of the goals of the show is to highlight African global health leaders who are leading public health initiatives on the continent and we have just one such leader to open our season. We are so excited to have host Prof. Salome Maswime, joining us from Cape Town South Africa. Salome Maswime is Professor and the Head of Global Surgery at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She trained as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and is the President of the South African Clinician Scientists Society. She was the Discovery MGH research fellow in 2018 at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and a former lecturer at the Wits University.  Salome is from Limpopo province, South Africa. After qualifying as a medical doctor at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Maswime completed a Fellowship and a Masters in Medicine degree in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and a PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She has worked in various hospitals in South Africa, including the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg for approximately 10 years.She is a global surgery expert with significant research contributions on access to quality obstetrics care in Ghana. She is an advocate for women’s health rights, and equity in surgical and maternal care. She is an advisor and consultant to several institutions, including the World Health Organization and the Global Surgery Foundation. She has received numerous awards for her tenacity and commitment to maternal health, and for ongoing research in maternal health.Relevant Readings Improving surgical and medical outcomes, beyond maternal mortality Follow Prof. Maswime on Twitter: @MrsMaswimeFollow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn (Global Health Unfiltered!), and Instagram (@ghunfiltered).Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comAudio editing and social media marketing: Diana NkhomaResearch intern: Chisomo MwaleTheme music: Antidote by KetsaArtwork: Chidiebere Ibe
Innovating African solutions to global health challenges with Yap Boum
Dec 23 2022
Innovating African solutions to global health challenges with Yap Boum
Welcome to the final episode of our first season. In this episode, Ulrick converses with Dr. Yap Boum about the importance of identifying and supporting African solutions and innovations to global health challenges. They discuss lessons on African innovation during covid-19, the importance of African-led research, and a new innovation called The Village. Professor Yap Boum II is the Executive Director of the Institute Pasteur of Bangui in Central Africa Republic and the former Regional Representative for Epicentre in Africa, the research arm of Medécins sans Frontieres (MSF). He has implemented several studies on tuberculosis, malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Ebola, COVID-19 in Uganda, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon among others. Boum teaches Public Health and Microbiology at Mbarara University of Sciences and Technology (Uganda) where he has a professorship and at the Universities of Virginia (UVa) and the University ofYaoundé I (Cameroon). He has held an array of leadership and advisory positions on national and international scales. Presently, Boum serves on the International Editorial Board of The Lancet Global Health. Boum is also co-founder of Kmerpad, a nonprofit that developed washable sanitary pads to empower women, allow them to fully participate in their education, and to limit the waste generated by the use of non-reusable sanitary pads. He has also a co-founder of iDocta, a digital platform that takes healthcare services to the community. He recently started Homegrown Solutions for Africa (HS4Africa) which aims to promote the creation of a critical mass of young Africans to find homegrown and innovative solutions for addressing the social and public health challenges Africa's faces. The Village digital platform is the new development of HS4Africa that will brake the barriers and connect scientists to transform Global Health As an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow, Boum is inspired by the vision of a healthy and wealthy Africa.Relevant readings:Who is telling the story? A systematic review of authorship for infectious disease research conducted in Africa, 1980–2016Is Africa part of the partnership?Advancing equitable global health research partnerships in AfricaFollow Yap Boum on Twitter: Follow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn (Global Health Unfiltered!), and Instagram (@ghunfiltered).Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comArtwork: Chidiebere IbeAudio editing and social media marketing: Yvan ZoloTheme music: Antidote by Ketsa
Challenging power asymmetries in global health with Lazenya Weekes-Richemond
Sep 24 2022
Challenging power asymmetries in global health with Lazenya Weekes-Richemond
Welcome to our tenth episode!! Many have expressed deep frustrations about the lack of representation of people from the "Global South" on decision-making tables including decisions around research priority, programs, policies, and funding. Our guest today shares her experience and opinions on the matter. Lazenya Weekes-Richemond worked in global health for 14 years before deciding to leave her career in global health. As a black woman working on behalf of black and brown people in a predominantly white-led sector, Lazenya’s work now focuses on disrupting the status quo, calling out neo-colonial practices within international development, and offering solutions to redress power imbalances and inequities. She seizes every opportunity to bring attention to health disparities affecting black and brown populations. We are glad that she has seized this opportunity to come on the Global Health Unfiltered Podcast to share her perspective on how to address power imbalances in global health.   Readings:Read Lazenya's blog here: Why I left my career in Global Health, Plos blogs, 29th March 2022Connect with Lazenya: rethinkingglobalhealth.comFollow Lazenya Weekes-Richemond on Twitter: @LazenyaRFollow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh) and Instagram (@ghunfiltered)Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko  @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comArtwork: Chidiebere IbeTheme music: Antidote by Ketsa
Building a New Public Health Order for Africa with Ebere Okereke and Sheila Mburu
Aug 1 2022
Building a New Public Health Order for Africa with Ebere Okereke and Sheila Mburu
Infectious diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV remain major causes of death and disability in Africa accounting for about 1.2 million deaths every year in Africa. By 2050, it is estimated that up to 4 million deaths could occur on the continent due to emergent infectious pathogens and increasing antimicrobial resistance. The covid-19 pandemic has revealed uncomfortable realities about the state of public health institutions in Africa. This reality led Dr. John Nkengasong, the then Director of the Africa CDC to declare that “in order to secure its future and guarantee its development, Africa will need a new public health order to address infectious disease threats and the overall syndemic in the 21st century”. In this episode, we talk about this New Public Health Order for Africa with two global health experts who have written extensively on this topic, Dr. Ebere Okereke and Sheila Mburu from the Tony Blair Institute.We hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe and share with your friends and family. We apologize for the quality of the sound at certain parts of the interview. These were primarily due to poor internet connectivity. We will continue to work to improve the quality of our productions for your enjoyment.  Thank you!  Readings:Read Ebere and Sheila's articles A New Public-Health Order for Africa: What and why?A New Public-Health Order for Africa: Why Public-Health Institutions Are the Foundations of Strong Health SystemsFollow Ebere Okereke on Twitter: @DrEmereumJnrFollow Sheila Mburu on Twitter: @Mburu_HealthFollow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh) and Instagram (@ghunfiltered)Keep up with us on Twitter @desmondtanko  @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comArtwork: Chidiebere IbeTheme music: Antidote by Ketsa