Two Visionary Leaders Unveil Bold Plans to Revolutionize Global Health | PRIMENEWSNOW

Reimagining Global Health: Insights from Season 5 of the Global Health Matters Podcast

The latest season of the Global Health Matters podcast kicks off with a candid discussion on the future of global health, featuring insights from two prominent experts and a vision for transformative change.

Challenging the Status Quo

In a dialogue with host Garry Aslanyan, Paola Abril Campos Rivera from Tecnológico de Monterrey and Catherine Kyobutungi, leader of Kenya’s African Population and Health Research Centre, emphasize the need for global health to transcend mere rhetoric and address issues of power, funding, and technology.

Redefining Health Equity

Kyobutungi highlights the gap between the ideals and realities of global health. “At its core, global health should ensure health equity for everyone,” she remarked. “However, it often becomes an exercise of influence by powerful entities over less affluent nations.”

She views the current geopolitical shifts as a pivotal moment for change. “This is not a crisis,” Kyobutungi asserts. “It’s an unparalleled opportunity for reform.”

Catherine Kyobutungi (left) with Paola Abril Campos Rivera

Advocating for Health Justice

Campos Rivera calls for a shift towards “health justice,” which goes beyond achieving equity. “True global health justice requires more than technical collaboration; it demands mechanisms that ensure fairness in governance and knowledge production, moving away from the traditional dominance of the Global North,” she explains.

Rethinking Financial Strategies

Both experts advocate for reducing dependency and enhancing efficiency in health financing. Kyobutungi highlights the efforts of African nations to increase health budgets and suggests integrating procurement systems. “If the current system isn’t sufficient, we must invest in one that serves everyone,” she states.

Campos Rivera supports mobilizing domestic resources and implementing fair global regulations, including regional “sin taxes.”

Embracing Technological Advancements

Technology presents both challenges and opportunities. Kyobutungi warns that Africa’s data infrastructure and regulations are not yet equipped to fully leverage AI’s potential. Meanwhile, Campos Rivera shares a success story from Mexico, where AI was used to gather consensus among stakeholders before a national food-systems summit, illustrating how technology can enhance human interaction.