Global Health Pursuit

The Vietnam War has created lasting effects that people are still experiencing to this day. Join me as we journey into the heart of Southeast Asia with Susan Hammond, founder of the War Legacies Project, whose experience and knowledge of the Vietnam War's aftermath is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Her decades-long dedication to understanding the enduring impacts of this conflict paints a vi...

Meet our exceptional guest, Rachel Svetanoff, my friend who's making waves in the sphere of social entrepreneurship and activism. Rachel's work predominantly revolves around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and she brings a unique fresh perspective to these critical objectives aimed at nurturing people, planet, and wildlife. This episode promises to enlighten you...

Have you ever wondered about the intersections of poverty, colonialism, and access to healthcare? Join us for a rich conversation with Dr. Eric Wetzel, a professor of biology at Wabash College and a dedicated parasitologist, as he unravels these complex issues through his lens of neglected tropical diseases. With a unique teaching approach that illuminates life and healthcare access in impoverishe...

Here's a celebration you don't want to miss! On my birthday, I'm turning the spotlight on three phenomenal women leading global health nonprofits that are changing lives around the world. Listen as we explore the transformative work of Jb Dondolo, led by the inspiring Lumbie Mlambo, which is making a real difference in underserved communities through clean water, sanitation, and hyg...

Dr Eric Nelson and Molly Klarman are bridging health access gaps in Haiti through their revolutionary pediatric telemedicine and medication delivery service. Born out of their fiery dedication to making a difference, they share their inspiring journey, their motivations, and the personal experiences that fuel their passion.  Unpack the logistics of MotoMeds with us, a model that draws inspiration...

What if you could be part of a mission that brings essential healthcare to those who need it most, but are often overlooked? Today, we open the door to the world of telehealth with none other than Sharon Allen, the dynamic CEO behind the World Telehealth Initiative. Sharon’s passion for travel and smart business savvy has led her to create an organization that has literally been a life-saver for v...

Ever wondered why drug prices are soaring? Come join me and Dr. Neda Ashtari as we dig into the tangled web of high drug costs. Our journey starts with the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a step toward making meds more affordable for folks on Medicare. We'll also chat about how each of us can pitch in to make healthcare less of a wallet drain. But we're not stopping at the surface – we&...

Have you ever wondered about the hidden truths of the pharmaceutical industry? Well, you're not alone. Today, I had a powerful conversation with Dr. Neda Ashtari, a dedicated resident at Yale New Haven Hospital, who is bravely challenging the Big Pharma. We plunged into the depths of the system and its practices, shedding light on how the drugs are developed, the role of marketing in promotin...

Curious about how culture and social determinants shape our food choices? Get ready to shift your perspective on nutrition as we chat with Dr. Lora Iannotti, professor of public health and the pioneering director of the E3 nutrition lab. Our conversation uncovers the sobering reality of global malnutrition issues, from child wasting and stunted growth to obesity. Dr. Iannotti pulls back the curtai...

Have you ever acted on an impulse, hoping to make a difference, but ended up questioning whether your actions did more harm than good? In this deeply personal episode of the Global Health Pursuit, I unpack my experiences from a service trip to India with International Volunteer Headquarters (IVHQ). As a naive grad student, I was drawn to the allure of immersing myself in the culture of my ancestor...

Are you prepared to delve into the comprehensive world of evidence-based public health? Join us as we unravel this complex topic with the distinguished Dr. Ross Brownson, a seasoned professor of public health at Washington University in St. Louis. He imparts his rich experience from his time teaching a unique course designed to equip mid-level public health practitioners with the essential tools f...

Imagine having to create an infant incubator in the midst of a chilling hospital with nothing but a mere candle during the Gulf War. That's the reality that Dr. Wisam Breegi, founder and CEO of Breegi Scientific, faced in a compelling story that showcases survival, innovation, and sheer determination. His inspirational journey from fleeing Iraq to revolutionizing neonatal care across the glob...

Approximately 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. More than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Between 20 and 50 million more people suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability as a result of their injury. This is where SIGN comes in. As the engineering manager, Terry speaks to...

Ever heard of a nonprofit medical device orthopedic company? Enter Sign Fracture Care - a nonprofit medical device company that designs and manufactures implants/instrumentation while also providing education to local surgeons in developing countries.  In this episode, we speak with Jeanne Dillner, CEO of Sign Fracture Care, who shares the most valuable lessons she learned from her experience in t...

What happens when the breadwinner of a family living under the poverty line in a low or middle income country gets into an accident breaking bones and eliminating his or her ability to walk, eliminating their ability to go to work and make money for their family? This is what made Dr. Lewis Zirkle, the President and Founder of SIGN Fracture Care, so passionate about creating a nonprofit medical de...

What you think of Global Health, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Healthcare, nutrition, education? In this episode, I introduce the topic of global health and provide different definitions. I challenge listeners to think about global health beyond just healthcare and consider the various factors that contribute to it, such as culture, environment, education, and mental health. This epi...

Each year, about 2 million people die due to waterborne diseases. And most of these deaths happen to children under the age of 5.  What does it take to serve communities that are desperately in need of clean water? How do we find clean water? What factors do we need to take into consideration? How difficult could it be? In this episode, I speak with Lumbie Mlambo, founder of the nonprofit organiza...

The podcast episode discusses the recent decriminalization of cannabis in Thailand and its potential impact on public health. Lee Hawker-Lecesne, the lead therapist and addiction counselor at The Cabin, a rehab center in Thailand, shares his personal story of experiencing trauma and seeking therapy, which led him to pursue a career in addiction counseling. Lee emphasizes that trauma can be subtle...

“The culture of a people is their identity as it affords them due recognition….there is no denial of the fact that what makes any human society is its culture; a Latin word which was derived from “colore” meaning to practice or cherish. For a society to be societal it must be cultural; therefore, society and culture are also intertwined.” The podcast episode features an interview with Akinyi Adoyo...

Did you know that only 3% of children in low income countries have access to surgery, while 85% of children in high income countries like the US have access? This means that easily treatable conditions like appendicitis or long bone fractures could result in death or lifelong disability for children in low and middle income countries. On the bright side, there are organizations like World Pediatri...

Have you ever wondered how health statistics are taken in the most rural parts of the world? Journal articles discuss how hundreds of thousands of women are diagnosed with and dying from cervical cancer, but just how accurate are these statistics? In this episode, Marissa Fayer and I chat about women's health in low and middle income countries, specifically cervical cancer statistics and the...

Imagine what your life would be like if you had to walk miles to and from your water source every single day. Wine to Water is an organization focused on bringing water equity to parts of the world where this is the reality. In this episode, we’re joined by Richard Vanderburg, Wine to Waters very own Chief Program Officer. Vanderburg experienced firsthand the sharp dichotomy between the privileged...

Have you ever tried to approach your parents about the prospect of going to therapy? Sometimes, our readiness to break generational cycles can look like a threat to our parents. Today, we're going to dive into an incredibly important topic that is often overlooked in the South Asian community - intergenerational trauma. I'm joined by Anjali Badrinath, a master's student of clinical...

Internally displaced persons and citizens of last mile communities often have to travel miles to receive the healthcare they need. After a mothers long trek to a medical center in Cameroon, Elvis Ndansi untied a dead baby from the mothers back. A baby who had passed due to preventable and treatable condition - Malaria. Having grown up in a last mile community with his single mother, Elvis made it...

In developed countries like the United States, one in every four women experience at least one or more pelvic floor dysfunctions. This can bring symptoms like urinary or fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pain, and or more. Unfortunately, these issues bring a lot of shame and many women who are in need of intervention might not even know that pelvic floor therapy exists. So today, i’m lear...