n this episode, we sit down with Dr Fekri Dureab, a physician‑researcher at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, to unpack how medical expertise, conflict‑zone realities, and the ever‑growing “info‑demic” intersect on the frontlines of public‑health work.
Drawing on his years of hands‑on experience in Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, and beyond, Dr Dureab walks us through the evolution of his career—from treating patients under a single‑lamp light to designing electronic disease‑early‑warning systems that still buzz in Yemen today. He explains why misinformation can be more lethal than a virus, how risk communication becomes a lifesaving tool in fragile states, and what students and aspiring public‑health champions should (and shouldn’t) pack in their professional backpacks.
The conversation also shines a light on the human side of data: the guilt that drove him back to his homeland while studying abroad, the joy of training clinicians in the field, and the stubborn optimism that even in war‑torn settings, a well‑crafted message can halt a rumor before it turns into a crisis.
What will you learn?
Dr Fekri Dureab – Medical doctor, PhD, and public‑health researcher at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health. His work spans health‑systems strengthening, disease‑control strategies, epidemic preparedness, and nutrition interventions across fragile and conflict‑affected states such as Yemen, Somalia, and Iraq. He has coordinated WHO nutrition projects, co‑created Yemen’s electronic disease early‑warning system, and led Info‑Demic Management training during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Key moments:
Call‑to‑action:
Help Just Access keep the signal strong—donate at https://just‑access.de/donate, share the episode, and drop us a line at podcast@just‑access.de.
","author_name":"Just Access"}