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Cities that are congested and polluted, with high costs of living, a perpetual rat race and yet a more sedentary lifestyle, have created physical, mental and cognitive health issues. Zoonotic, infectious and non-communicable diseases, disability and changing demographics are putting health and social care under pressure. In this episode we look at how we can provide equitable, effective and regenerative health and social care to our citizens.
As Alicia Rojos Santos states, well thought out and implemented policies universally allow for better results in preventative and responsive health care. Defining and implementing a holistic approach - including pollution, nutrition, education and urban design - is imperative.
Of course, policies without sufficient funding aligned to health, socio-economic and cultural needs (not electoral cycles) will fail. Public-private partnerships have a role as governments alone cannot finance universal health coverage, whether in industrialised countries with ageing populations or global south countries with small tax bases.
Paradoxically, we find unused, expensive equipment across African cities. We must develop capacity, and a culture, to build and maintain technologies locally. At the same time, Dr Peter believes scaling up and exporting frugal innovation is viable if - once again - we align policy and financing, and we match solutions with needs.
Drs Karan Thakur and Peter Waiswa unpack the supply and demand mismatch across the world. On the one hand there is a brain drain of global south medical professionals moving to better pay and facilities in the global north. On the other hand you have “medical value travel” where citizens from the global north can get high quality, more affordable options in the global south. Even though there is also south-south medical tourism, governments in developing countries must recognise that retaining talent at home is vital if we are to fight inequity.
SPEAKERS
Alica Rojos-Santos
Account Director
Acumen Public Affairs
Alicia is a EU health policy and communications consultant, working with Acumen Public Affairs for a wide range of life science clients. She has worked in an agency-setting for the last five years, both at the UK (national) and EU (regional) levels, guiding biopharmaceutical and medtech clients on how to align their public affairs strategies to their commercial needs.
Dr Peter Waiswa,
Associate Professor,
Makerere University School of Public Health and Karolinska Institutet
Dr.Peter Waiswa is a Ugandan medical doctor trained in Public Health. He graduated with a joint PhD and later a Post-Doctoral fellowship; both as joint degrees/fellowships from Makerere University, Uganda and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. Currently, Dr. Waiswa is an Associate Professor at Makerere University School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Uganda and also a visiting Researcher at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden since 2013. Prior to joining academia he worked as a district medical officer with Ministry of Health for 8 years in Uganda.
Dr Karan Thakur,
Vice President, Projects & Public Affairs,
Apollo Hospitals Group
Dr. Karan Thakur is an award winning healthcare administer, public speaker, opinions writer and policy expert on healthcare based out of New Delhi. With over fifteen years of experience in varied roles, Karan specialises in Hospital Operations, Project Management, Healthcare Policy, Public-Private Partnerships, Human Resource Management and Team Building.
In 2022, Karan was chosen as the Eisenhower Fellowships Global Fellow, where his project is to study the impact of climate change on healthcare, decarbonisation and building resilience in healthcare institutions.
CHARITY
For this episode we will be supporting 1001 Fontaines by donating £100 for Every 100 Listeners which will allow :
100 people provided with lifetime access to safe and affordable drinking water
1001fontaines is a French NGO whose vision is that the best way to improve the health of vulnerable populations is to enable them to drink safe water. 1001fontaines has pioneered an innovative model, leveraging philanthropy and social entrepreneurship to create a sustainable impact.