Global Health Voices

In the final episode of the season, Glen and Nat look back at what defined global health in 2025. They revisit their favourite moments from the podcast, reflect on the lessons that stood out, and discuss the trends they’ll be watching as we move into 2026. Find out more about PathGen. Register for the Singapore Global Health Film Festival 2026. Follow us on our socials! You can find us on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Check out our website to discover the work at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute.  Music by BackgroundMusicForVideo via Pixabay.

In this episode, we sit down with Assistant Professor Shurendar Kumar, where he shares the invaluable lessons learned from his time in places like the Malaysian Ministry of Health, WHO, and even a start-up. He also discusses how impact can be defined a global health and the many ways that we all can contribute to a better world. Connect with Shuren on LinkedIn.  Find out more about Shuren's work in Tuberculosis genomics. Follow us on our socials! You can find us on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Check out our website to discover the work at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute.  Music by BackgroundMusicForVideo via Pixabay.

In this episode, we sit down with Professor David Hipgrave, a true veteran of global health. From his beginnings in Australia to his extensive work with UNICEF, David shares invaluable lessons learned from his time in places like Afghanistan, China, India, and East Africa. He also discusses what drew him to academia and his passion for Early Childhood Development. Join us as we explore his remarkable journey and the insights he’s gained along the way. Connect with David on LinkedIn.  Find out more about David's work in Early Childhood Development. Follow us on our socials! You can find us on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Check out our website to discover the work at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute.  Music by BackgroundMusicForVideo via Pixabay.

From saving lives on the ground in Indonesia to shaping global health policy with the WHO and UNICEF, Suci’s career has been driven by one goal: making a difference. Now, she’s harnessing the power of big data to confront some of the world’s most urgent challenges. In this episode, she shares her remarkable journey, the lessons learned along the way, and why innovation, compassion, and evidence-based action can change lives on a global scale. Connect with Suci on LinkedIn.  Find out more about our Global Health Project Registry. Follow us on our socials! You can find us on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Check out our website to discover the work at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute.  Music by BackgroundMusicForVideo via Pixabay.

How does one transition from being a speech therapist to the global health space? Kaisin sits down with Natasha as she recounts her journey, which led her to the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute. Find out why global health could be for you regardless of your background! Connect with Kaisin on LinkedIn.  Follow us on our socials! You can find us on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Check out our website to discover the work at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute.  Music by BackgroundMusicForVideo via Pixabay.

That’s the question we’re asked all the time! In this new season of the Global Health Voices podcast, find out what global health means to our hosts, Natasha Tai and Glen Koh, as they demystify the topic. They’ll share their first-hand experiences and be joined by some special guests along the way. Follow us on our socials! You can find us on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. Check out our website to discover the work at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute.  Music by BackgroundMusicForVideo via Pixabay.

Prof Hannah Kuper echoes key points made by previous speakers and emphasises the importance of creating inclusive systems, be they in education or health. Such systems not only cater to people living with disabilities, they are also more responsive and increase accessibility for all populations. She also reaffirms the importance of ensuring a seat at the table for people living with disabilities in relation to agenda setting, interventions and research efforts. Hannah gives practical advice on structuring each component of the health system to ensure that each part is inclusive to people living with disabilities. 

The conversation with Mr Mongkolsawadi is infused with the power of positive thinking and being proactive in enacting change. His life-long work to promote the employability of people living with disabilities and his experiences as a medal winning Paralympian are compelling examples of the value of role models. Additional reading resources can be accessed here: https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/allnews/sdghi-podcast-series-2-paths-less-travelled 

Dr Shubha Nagesh has a lifetime of being a strong advocate for children and adolescents living with disabilities. She combines her research interest on gender and disability with a strong commitment to work closely with communities. She stresses the need for every individual to contribute to achieve the shared vision of an inclusive and fair world and points to the importance of having people with disabilities in leadership roles. Additional reading resources can be accessed here: https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/allnews/sdghi-podcast-series-2-paths-less-travelled

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. Additional reading resources can be accessed here: https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/allnews/sdghi-podcast-series-2-paths-less-travelled 

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 capacity building as the central tenet for the decolonising movement. 

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 controlling. He urges people to have the courage to follow their own cooperative and supportive instincts. It was a pleasure to hear his unorthodox yet thought-provoking perspectives. 

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. 

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”.

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.

In this wide ranging conversation, Professor Martin Bloem pulls together different themes and disciplines to reflect on how we can respond to and examine underlying factors contributing to both acute crises and long term conditions. This viewpoint is grounded in his deep expertise as a medically trained nutritionist and public health practitioner. His central message is that we live in a complex world for which linear solutions are inadequate. The need to apply holistic, systems perspectives is essential, as is the imperative to work effectively together.

The passion for prompting women’s voices and creating opportunities for dialogue is evident throughout the conversation with Dr Oomman. She emphasises the need for greater integration of gender and intersectional perspectives into global health discourse and interventions. She cites compassion and competency as two essential characteristics for effective leadership. Importantly, she urges women to be bold and ambitious.    

Drawing from his many years of experience tracking down bat viruses, Prof Wang identifies some of the factors that led to the current global pandemic. He stresses that the exit strategy should be science based, while acknowledging political considerations must be taken into account. He cautions that no exit strategy can be risk free and we must learn to adjust and adapt. Finally, he emphasises the importance of using a One Health approach to better recognise and prevent the next pandemic. 

Hearing Dr Malabika Sarker and Dr Sabina Faiz Rashid trace the evolution of their public health careers to their current leadership positions with the BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health is an enlightening experience. They engage in a lively discussion about the need to have local, practical solutions developed in partnership with communities – who are not the recipients of global health interventions but really are the leaders of global health change.  

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 withstand the most difficult conditions.