The Scholars Table with Dr. Banda

WHO Africa's Emergency Director on Pandemics, AI & the Future of Health Security in Africa

What does it actually take to lead emergency response across an entire continent? Dr. Marie Roseline Belizaire, Emergency Director at WHO Africa, joins Dr. Banda Khalifa for an honest, no-headlines conversation about pandemic preparedness, AI, funding cuts, and the future of health security in Africa.  From outbreak fieldwork in the DRC to regional emergency leadership at WHO AFRO, Dr. Belizaire has spent her career where success depends not just on technical guidance, but on trust, logistics, diplomacy, and coordination under pressure. In this episode, she breaks down where emergency-response delays really come from, the three highest-leverage fixes for Africa, what the Pandemic Agreement still needs to deliver, how global health survives the era of "America First" funding cuts, and where AI genuinely helps and where it risks widening inequity.

Dean Adnan Hyder on Public Health Leadership, Purpose, and the Future of Global Health

In this episode of The Scholars Table, Dr. Banda Khalifa sits down with Dean Adnan Hyder, Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at Boston University School of Public Health, for a thoughtful conversation on public health leadership, global health, graduate education, and building a meaningful career with purpose. Dean Hyder reflects on his journey from medicine to public health, his training at Johns Hopkins, his leadership vision for Boston University School of Public Health, and the skills future public health professionals need in a rapidly changing world. The conversation also explores what makes a strong public health applicant, how students can think about choosing the right graduate program, the challenges of funding and access for international students, and why passion, strategy, opportunity, and accountability matter in leadership. Dean Hyder also shares a powerful message for emerging public health leaders: public health is not just a career path; it is a commitment to impact, equity, and improving people’s lives.

Africa Must Build, Not Beg

In conversation with Professor Christian Happi, the real subject is not recognition, but authorship: who gets to produce the knowledge, tools, and institutions that shape the future of health.

The best MPH in Africa?: Ensign University (Practicum, Scholarships, Career Paths)

Thinking about an MPH in Africa that meets global standards—without the confusion? In this episode of Ensign Scholars Table, we sit down with President Stephen Alder of Ensign Global University (Ghana) to unpack what makes Ensign’s Master of Public Health (MPH) stand out: a practice-first practicum, scholarship opportunities, and real career pathways across government, NGOs, global health organizations, and academia.

Global Health Is About Power: Seye Abimbola on Knowledge, Voice & Who Gets Heard

Global health isn’t just technical, it’s political. In this episode of The Scholars Table, we sit with Seye Abimbola to unpack how knowledge, power, and voice shape what gets funded, published, and implemented in global health. We discuss: * How power determines whose knowledge is seen as legitimate * Representation vs real shifts in power * What early-career researchers misunderstand about publishing & peer review * How peer review can be rigorous AND just * How to stay critical in global health without becoming cynical * Graduate study & academic opportunities in Australia (University of Sydney context)