YIGH Talks

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the world's vulnerabilities to health and economic ruin from disease outbreaks. The pandemic has also revealed fundamental weaknesses and contradictions in global health. During this conversation, Dr. Olusoji Adeyi will discuss the roots of these weaknesses and contradictions; how geo-politics, power dynamics, knowledge gaps, racism, and corruption affect global health; and why foreign aid for health is due for a radical overhaul. Drawing on his 30 years of experience, Dr. Adeyi will outline his recommendations for a brighter future for global health.

The Arab region hosts close to 50% of all refugees and displaced populations in the world, suffers from multiple concurrent wars and violent conflicts and faces existential environmental and climate change threats. Lebanon is on the brink of state failure. Dr. Nuwayhid will put the current and future public health challenges in the Arab world, with a focus on Lebanon, in a historical and political context. Amid all this pain, he will also share stories of hope and resilience.

Monkeypox is a rare infectious disease first discovered in 1958 after outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research. It is a more benign version of smallpox that is endemic in parts of Central and West Africa. During this panel conversation, we will discuss what is monkeypox, how concerned we should be in the U.S. and around the world, and measures that state, national, and international organizations are taking to monitor and address this issue.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need to better prepare for future pandemics and other biological threats. During this panel event, the central elements to an effective response were discussed, including building workforce and surveillance capacity; accelerating and expanding R&D and manufacturing for the equitable distribution of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics; and, establishing the global structures and institutions necessary to rapidly respond. The event was generously supported by the George Herbert Walker, Jr. Lecture Fund in International Studies at the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale.