In this episode of the New Beginnings Podcast, Aarush Gupta speaks with Dr. Desiree LaBeaud, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Dean of Global Health at Stanford University, about the growing threat of mosquito-borne diseases and what the world must do to prepare for future outbreaks.

Dr. LaBeaud explains how climate change is expanding mosquito habitats, why diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and Rift Valley fever deserve greater attention, and how plastic waste and inadequate waste-management systems can create breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes.

The conversation also explores pandemic preparedness, infectious-disease surveillance, equitable global health partnerships, and the role of artificial intelligence in outbreak response. Dr. LaBeaud emphasizes that while technology can help process information and guide decisions, trust, partnership, and human connection remain essential to building healthier communities. She closes by encouraging listeners to respond to global challenges not with helplessness but with collective and purposeful action.