What if we could build a disease free world? Well, we almost have. We are at a point in history where we have a Big Shot to make that happen. Dr Seema Yasmin, expert in disease control, brings you the stories of disease eradication, and the pioneers who can tell us how to finish the journey. These conversations will make you smarter, entertain and surprise you, and give you hope for the future of humanity!
How do we work together to stop disease outbreaks and save lives worldwide? An Interview with someone who’s living it day to day
Dr Seema Yasmin and Dr Shelly Batra talk about how we fight diseases as activists and overcoming social and economic challenges using her own experience and what it can teach us for the future as we see an increase in disease outbreaks and challenges in vaccination rates worldwide.
This is an inspiring conversation for listeners worldwide on how to work within communities to impact change and save lives, especially those of children.
Dr Shelly Batra is a gynaecologist and obstrician and best selling author located in New Delhi. She is the MD of “Every Infant Matters”, a not for profit that has a mission of providing last-mile health and nutrition to disadvantaged populations. Through her work with “Operation Asha” she worked treating the tuberculosis epidemic in India by providing accessible healthcare to people earning less than a dollar a day in urban slums using both logistical solutions and working with communities.
3 Sept 2025
How do you talk to people who disagree with you about Science? We talk to the man who wrote the book on it.
With the current worldwide political landscape at the forefront of our minds, continued misinformation and divisive rhetoric. We talk to Lee McIntyre about why it is important to have conversations with those that disagree with you - and why he has made it his personal mission.
What can those of us who love science and have hope for the future do to bring people on the fence over to spread information and truth?
Lee McIntyre is an American Author, researcher and academic, currently a fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University, instructor in ethics at Harvard and has written “How to talk to a Science Denier”, “On Disinformation: How to fight for Truth and Protect Democracy” and “Post-Truth”.
18 Jun 2025
Now Try... When Science Finds a Way
Dr. Flor M. Munoz discusses the increasing inclusion of pregnant participants in vaccine trials with Alisha, highlighting safety considerations and the potential to improve survival rates for both parent and baby in this interview episode.
7 Jan 2025
Our Big Shot - how do we reach 500 million children?
In the final episode of this series, we revisit where we are now. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the world to work together, and this was eye-opening in showing how much can be achieved with co-ordination and collaboration. We examine how we can replicate this without the need for a global crisis with Dr Chikwe Iheweazu Assistant Director General of WHO.
We finish with the story that started Seema’s journey to become a doctor - her mother, Yasmin Halima, with her work as an AIDS activist in 90s and 2000s. Yasmin talks about making science and politics meet to combat HIV and how that gives us hope for the future in our fight against disease.
Guests featured:
- Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu - WHO Assistant Director-General of WHO for Health Emergency Intelligence and Surveillance Systems.
https://www.who.int/director-general/who-headquarters-leadership-team
- Yasmin Halima - award winning activist.
https://dci.stanford.edu/fellow/yasmin-halima/
31 Dec 2024
Sharing is caring - the politics of combating MPox
In this episode we track the spread of Mpox and ask, how does the pandemic alarm system work? Does the global alarm system work?
We have powerful vaccine technologies and we are making incredible strides in understanding pathogens that threaten the health of our populations, but how we move vaccines and resources to people in need is still a major challenge for global health organisations and governments.
Seema explores mpox and it’s recent global spread and talked to Dr Mark Ecclestone-Turner about global health systems, and asks difficult questions about the effectiveness and fairness of what we have in place.
Finally we hear a report from Dr Nicaise Ndembi, from the frontline of the fight against Mpox where things are improving.
Featured Guests
- Dr. Mark Ecclestone-Turner on how the global health system reacts to emerging pandemics https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/mark-eccleston-turner
- Dr. Nicaise Ndembi on the emergence of the Mpox Clade 1b virus and sounding the alarm. https://africacdc.org/people/dr-nicaise-ndembi/
24 Dec 2024
Smallpox - the disease that changed science
Smallpox is a pathogen specific to our species and it has wreaked havoc with human populations over the centuries. Ultimately it gave rise to what we now think of as immunisation and vaccine technology and is the only disease we have ever eradicated.
In this episode we explore this epic history of the Variola virus with Professor Gareth Williams, hear from Dr Celine Gounder, who sought out and interviewed the last survivor of smallpox in the wild, and confront a still controversial predicament: should all remaining live samples of the smallpox virus be destroyed? with Professor David Heymann.
Featured guests:
Prof. Gareth Williams, author of ‘Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox’ - on the history of smallpox https://thesohoagency.co.uk/authors/gareth-williams/
Dr. Celine Gounder on Rahima Braha the last survivor of smallpox in the wild https://www.celinegounder.com/
Professor David Heymann on the eradication of wild smallpox and the argument for retaining live virus samples for research https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/heymann.david
17 Dec 2024
HIV - The African Journey
Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, and world-renowned HIV expert Linda-Gail Bekker explore the complexities of HIV transmission and treatment in Africa, highlighting groundbreaking research and promising treatment options.
10 Dec 2024
The Black Angels - rethinking how we see Tuberculosis
Maria Smilios, science writer and author, revisits the forgotten story of 'The Black Angels', a group of pioneering black nurses who bravely fought tuberculosis and taught us about the power of people working together to combat disease.
3 Dec 2024
Lies are contagious - MMR vaccine and the virality of a conspiracy.
Professor Beate Kampmann and Professor Helen Bedford discuss how the MMR vaccine's lifesaving impact has been undermined by a devastating conspiracy theory, highlighting the need for empathy and understanding in vaccine communication.
26 Nov 2024
Polio and the March of Rubles - why medicine trumps politics
Professor Dora Vargha and Dr. Hanan Balkhy join Dr. Tunji Funsho to reveal how international cooperation and community engagement led to historic medical breakthroughs in polio eradication.
26 Nov 2024
The covid effect on vaccine reality: defending the memory of Grant Wahl
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire, Dr. Céline Gounder, and misinformation experts Dr. Sander van der Linden and Dr. Melisa Basol discuss how Covid-19 accelerated vaccine science, but also fueled the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories.
20 Nov 2024
Trailer: Introducing 'Our Big Shot' with Dr Seema Yasmin
Dr Seema Yasmin explores the power of vaccines and the next global push in fighting infectious disease on 'Our Big Shot'.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 18 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
23
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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