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Health Talks Podcast

Listen to our Department podcast on current health and care issues and policies

In HealthTalks, Dr Rocco Friebel explores the latest developments in health and care markets around the world.

Together with co-hosts Meskerem Kebede, Tom Hannah and Robin Forrest, the podcast by the Department of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science contributes to an informed and evidence-based discussion of health policy issues for students, academics, policymakers, and anyone else with a general interest in health policy.

Each episode discusses a specific, hot problem and explores multifaceted possible solutions. We aim to advance and challenge listeners understanding of health systems and the social, economic, and political contexts in which they operate.

 

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Episodes: 

1. Universal Basic Income: Pathway to a healthy society?

Countries across the world have seen surges in popularity for new financial redistributive policies that aim to tackle inequalities in a completely new way.

By refocusing the debate around health, my guests argue Universal Basic Income can create a healthier, more sustainable world for individuals and society.

 

Espisode now live.

 

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2. Left to die? The impact of COVID-19 on the long-term care sector.

The long-term care sector has been off the radar from policymakers, politicians, and the public in many countries and for many years – until now.

Adelina Comas-Herrera from the London School of Economics argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has opened a window of opportunity to address some of the fundamental issues faced by the long-term care sector internationally.

 

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3. Drug and Vaccine Development in Africa: unanswered ambitions or future reality?

The current pandemic has created the urgent need to supply vaccines and therapeutics fast and at large scale - though many countries are unable to procure sufficient medicines for their populations.

Dr Abebaw Fekadu from the Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa shares his insights into the landscape for drug discovery and development in Africa.

What are the opportunities created by the pandemic - if any?

And waht are the concrete steps needed to enable African countries to set up drug development and manufacturing?

 

 

Espisode now live.

 

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4. NHS under pressure: finding the right balance between public sector needs and private sector resiliance.

More than 5 million people are waiting for an elective surgery in the English National Health Service, and it will require innovative arrangements and policies to address patient need. 

Dr Michael Anderson from the London School of Economics argues that the independent sector, in other words private providers, could be one piece of the puzzle to get a handle on waiting times. 

 

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5. Brain-drain in Africa: personal stories and reflections with Nigerian doctors.

Africa has the severest form of health care workforce shortages in the world. Yet, once qualified, many health care professionals leave their home countries.

What are the push and pull factors for qualified healthcare professionals to stay or leave Nigeria, and what impact has the ‘brain drain’ on those who are left behind?

Our guests, Dr Sa’id and Dr Aminah argue that brain drain presents as a curse and opportunity, but beneficiaries of migration must do more to support countries that are net exporters of health care professionals.

 

 

Espisode now live.

 

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  • Dr Sa’id Gaya - NHS Medical Doctor
  • Dr Aminah Jaafar - Cardiology physician

 

6. How much is too much? Financing health systems in the 21st century.

Spending on healthcare has accelerated in countries across the world, yet there appears to be no obvious systematic pattern with the way health systems operate and the quality of care they provide.

Out guests Dr Zeynep Or tries to answer some of the most pressing questions: how can we finance our health systems in the future, and will we be able to afford it?

 

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7. High-cost, high-need research: comparing the patient journey in national health systems.

The way health care systems are funded, structured, and operationalised differs vastly across countries, which makes it challenging to understand how a given health care system performs compared to its neighbours.

Our guest, Dr Irene Papanicolas, argues that deriving an understanding of how health systems deliver care to vulnerable patient groups can play an important role to encourage policy transfer and mutual learning.

 

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8. The race against antimicrobial resistance: Fighting a silent killer.

Antimicrobials are essential to modern medicine, not just for treating active bacterial infections but during routine procedures such as caesarean sections, organ transplants or chemotherapy.

In recent decades, there has been a lack of development of new antibiotics and old ones are becoming ineffective.

Our guests, Dame Sally Davies and Dr Avi Cherla argue that without new antibiotics, along with a marked change in the way we use existing treatments, the impact of antimicrobial resistance will be devastating.

 

Espisode now live.

 

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