Podcast · Tech & Science

The Threshold

by Foreign Policy · English · Tech & Science

Global health is facing a tipping point. Scientific advancements have changed how we respond to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria – and the pipeline of breakthrough innovations has never been stronger. But funding is down and priorities are shifting. Will the science come to scale s

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New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 33 min
Latest: 5 Feb 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

5 Feb 2026 · 58 min

‘The Threshold’ Live

We hosted a live virtual podcast taping of The Threshold on World Neglected Tropical Disease Day. Host Henry Bonsu spoke with Sabena Solomon, GSK vice president and head of global health access, and Sam Macintosh, the END Fund’s vice president of global strategic partnerships, about pharmaceutical companies’ unique role in the fight to end NTDs. Since 2000, dozens of countries have eliminated at least one NTD. This is in part thanks to pharmaceutical industry partners, who have donated over 30 billion tablets and vials toward ending NTDs. During this special event, which was made possible…

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Earlier episodes 8 most recent

S1 · E7 · 20 Nov 2025 · 33 min
The Path Toward Eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases
In our season finale of The Threshold, we delve into what it will take to end neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which impact about 1.5 billion people. The World Health Organization considers 21 diseases to be NTDs, a classification that marks a disease as underfunded and prioritized relative to its burden. What is encouraging is that a growing number of neglected tropical diseases are closer than ever to being eliminated. Our episode begins with the personal story of Rehema, whose account was produced by Sharon Kiburi. Rehema’s path towards a diagnosis demonstrates much of what is…
S1 · E6 · 13 Nov 2025 · 34 min
How to Stop Diseases from Spreading
What are the best ways to stop the spread of infectious diseases? One key element is diagnostics. For diseases like tuberculosis, there are millions of people unaware that they have the disease. So improving diagnostic tests and making them accessible are critical. Thankfully, new scientific breakthroughs could dramatically improve rapid TB diagnostic tests. These tools may soon transform countries like India, where the toll of TB looms large. Reporting from Mumbai, India, journalist Chhavi Sachdev speaks with Dr. DJ Christopher, professor of pulmonary medicine at Christian Medical College,…
S1 · E5 · 6 Nov 2025 · 37 min
Out-of-the-box Innovations Against Malaria
Malaria kills nearly six hundred thousand people every year, with 95 percent of deaths occurring in Africa. Most of them are children under five. While progress on curbing malaria has flattened in recent years, new scientific breakthroughs may bring the world closer than ever not only to controlling malaria outbreaks, but potentially also eradicating the disease. In this episode, we focus on the best mosquito control strategies to eliminate malaria. Host Henry Bonsu interviews Dr. Fredros Okumu, professor at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and a scientist at Ifakara Health Institute in…
S1 · E4 · 30 Oct 2025 · 28 min
Turning the Page on Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis claimed more than 1.25 million lives in 2023, overtaking COVID as the world’s deadliest infectious disease. For the last century, there has been a vaccine protecting children from TB. Now, there is hope for a new solution: a potential vaccine for adolescents and adults. On this episode, reporter Elna Schütz visits an M72 TB vaccine trial site in Worcester, South Africa, one of the world’s TB epicenters. First, Elna speaks with participants about their experiences in the M72 trial and with TB more generally. She also interviews South Africa Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI)…
S1 · E3 · 23 Oct 2025 · 33 min
The Promise of PrEP for HIV
What could end HIV and AIDS as a public health threat? While there is still no vaccine or cure, long-acting tools like Lenacapavir, the recently approved twice-yearly HIV prevention shot, could significantly reduce new infections. Many health experts believe this may get us toward the end of HIV as an epidemic. On today’s show, reporter Leah Kahunde Ndung’u examines what the Lenacapavir rollout will mean for Uganda, which was one of two Lenacapavir trial countries in Africa. She speaks with the Uganda trial’s principal investigator Dr. Flavia Matovu Kiweewa and HEPS Uganda Executive Director…
S1 · E2 · 16 Oct 2025 · 38 min
From Aid to Growth
On today’s show, we are tackling what is possibly the biggest challenge facing global health right now: funding. Host Henry Bonsu speaks with Indonesia Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin about how he approaches multilateral organizations for financing, as well as his vision for Indonesia. Sadikin was also a longtime banker before going into government. Then, Bonsu talks with Dr. Ngozi Erondu, the technical director of GLIDE, the Global Institute for Disease Elimination. Erondu participated in the first-ever Africa Health Sovereignty Summit this year in Accra, with African government…
S1 · E1 · 9 Oct 2025 · 31 min
Gates CEO Mark Suzman Is ‘Very Concerned’ About a Health Funding Deadline
Welcome to the first episode of The Threshold, a Foreign Policy podcast about the fight to end infectious diseases around the world and the innovations that could get us there. Host Henry Bonsu speaks with Gates CEO Mark Suzman and WACI Health Executive Director Rosemary Mburu about why they’re both optimistic and concerned about the future of disease elimination. And there is a big deadline on their minds that directly impacts the state of global health—which is in a tough place. More than two million people die every year from the world’s biggest infectious diseases: HIV/AIDS, malaria, and…
S1 · E1 · 2 Oct 2025 · 4 min
Coming Soon: The Threshold
Global health is facing a critical moment. New scientific breakthroughs are making a huge difference in the fight against epidemics like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. But funding is down and priorities are shifting. Will these diseases finally be eliminated? Or will they surge instead? On The Threshold, reporters from around the world cover this unfolding crisis from all sides—talking to scientists, politicians, civil society leaders, pharmaceutical executives, and others. The Threshold is a new seven-part Foreign Policy podcast hosted by acclaimed broadcast journalist Henry Bonsu and…

About The Threshold

The Threshold is a English tech & science podcast from Foreign Policy. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Foreign Policy
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 33 min
Latest episode: 5 Feb 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1843648934

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