The ‘Awake at Night’ podcast is an in-depth interview series focused on remarkable frontline United Nations staff members who have dedicated their lives to helping people in parts of the world where people have the hardest lives - war zones, refugee camps, slums and areas hit by pandemics, natural disasters and the devastation of climate change. Here are some WHO staff featured in the series.
Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme for WHO
From SARS to Ebola to Avian Flu to COVID-19, Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme for the World Health Organization (WHO), has committed his life's work to fight the spread of infectious diseases. Today, he is leading the team responding to the international containment and treatment of COVID-19.
Mike speaks about giving up on dreams of becoming a trauma surgeon after breaking his spine in a car crash in Iraq. He was held hostage there while working in an Iraqi hospital during the first Gulf War. That experience set him on the path to the WHO, with a specialism in infectious diseases.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director for Africa at WHO
Dr Moeti is the first female Regional Director for Africa at WHO. Now she’s the face of the COVID-19 fight in Africa, but she says facing the pandemic is easier than where she started her career as a doctor - fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1990s. Now, she says, we’re willing to talk about inequalities and tackle stigma about disease.
Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, Technical Lead heading WHO’s response to COVID/19
In this personal and insightful episode, Maria shares her memories of the first moment she became aware of COVID-19 – before most of the world knew it existed – and then she takes us behind the scenes of WHO’s early steps to tackle the crisis. Maria also talks about what, throughout the entire pandemic, motivates her every day to get out of bed and care for others, at the expense of her family life.
S4-Episode 8: So Much More that We Can Do to Save Lives Right Now | United Nations
Dr Marie-Roseline Bélizaire, doctor and epidemiologist
Marie-Roseline Bélizaire is a doctor and epidemiologist with WHO. She was on the frontlines of Ebola and is now turning her expertise to help fight the spread of COVID-19 in the Central African Republic (CAR). Marie speaks about her upbringing in Haiti and how the lack of scientific and medical rigour motivated her to study medicine. She recounts her experiences on the frontlines of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, riding motorcycles into the bushes trying to contact trace that pandemic. Now, fighting COVID, she’s able to apply that expertise to the Central African Republic.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at WHO
"When it comes to a pandemic, it really needs global collaboration and solidarity because the pathogens and viruses do not respect borders."
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at WHO shares her insights on how lessons from other infectious diseases like tuberculosis and HIV have shaped our response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The clinical scientist also discusses how new technologies have given us the possibility to control diseases in ways we’ve never had before. During the early ‘90s, Soumya successfully raised funds to get antiretroviral drugs to families affected by the HIV epidemic. Many of their children are still alive today thanks to her work. In this fascinating interview, she explains her hopes for future generations who are now exposed to the intricacies and power of science to affect change.
"I'm very hopeful that this will inspire more trust and confidence in science, and also inspire young people to take up science as a career because they can see how wonderful it is to be able to contribute."