涩里番

Professors Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey and Jill Baumgartner will lead innovative research focusing on anti-Black carceral systems and climate-related health risks respectively聽

96 Global Health NOW: Solving the Global Stagnation in Physical Movement; and Reimagining Transit for Blind Commuters March 11, 2026 TOP STORIES The pipeline of new drugs to combat superbugs remains 鈥渨orryingly thin,鈥� shrinking by 35% in the last five years from 92 to 60 medicines in development, ; the Netherlands-based researchers predict that annual deaths linked to drug-resistant infections globally will double to 8 million by 2050. 
  China will boost its science spending, with officials announcing that the country鈥檚 overall research and development expenditure will increase by ~7% over the next five years, and that this year鈥檚 science and technology budget will increase 10% over 2025鈥檚 budget鈥攁mounting to billions in new investments.     The FDA has walked back claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump and other administration officials about the drug leucovorin鈥檚 effectiveness for autism; while the agency approved the generic medication for a rare brain folate deficiency this week, officials estimate the condition impacts fewer than one in a million people in the U.S.
  Psilocybin shows promise as a smoking cessation tool, , which found that participants who received one dose of the psychedelic had 6X+ greater odds of being abstinent from cigarettes after six months than counterparts who relied on a nicotine substitute.   IN FOCUS A Chinese martial arts teacher demonstrates an exercise to students in Freetown at the Confucius Institute University of Sierra Leone. October 15, 2024. Saidu Bah BAH/AFP via Getty Solving the Global Stagnation in Physical Movement     Over the last two decades, governments worldwide have adopted policies promoting physical activity. But physical activity prevalence in most countries remains unchanged, .  

• 1 in 3 adults and 80% of adolescents still fail to meet the WHO physical activity guidelines of ~150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly. 

• While 92% of countries have policies that address movement, inactivity rates have remained flat since 2012. 

Why so ineffective? Narrow policy and poor implementation are likely limiting impact, .  

• Most policies approach movement through a metabolic and cardiovascular health lens, rather than demonstrating the wide, holistic scope of benefits鈥攊ncluding mental health improvements, improved immunity, and cancer prevention.  

Major equality gaps: In high-income nations, 30%+ of total physical activity comes from 鈥渃hoice-based鈥� leisure like sports; in low-income nations, just 10% of physical activity is choice-based, with the remaining 90% related to transport and occupational necessity, .     Needed actions: Physical activity policy should emphasize not just individual impact but population-level benefits, and should be prioritized in community sectors beyond health care鈥攊ncluding education and transportation,  

• 鈥淧hysical activity should be embedded in the way we design our cities, helping create communities where people want to live and move more,鈥� said the study鈥檚 principal investigator Andrea Ram铆rez Varela. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ROAD SAFETY Reimagining Transit for Blind Commuters   For blind commuters in the U.S., everyday barriers remain all too common in public transit and walkways, even in major cities like New York, where 200,000+ people report vision loss or blindness.  

• Two-thirds of New York鈥檚 subways are not ADA-compliant, and 90% of the city鈥檚 40,000 intersections still lack audible crossing signals. 

Designing for inclusion: Advocates say improvements like tactile paving, curb ramps, and subway station elevators are emerging鈥攂ut such shifts are often catalyzed by lawsuits. 

• Still needed: Real-time audio updates and improved cell and Wi-Fi connectivity, including in tunnels, are critical for maintaining accessibility and safety.  

Global examples: Cities like Tokyo, Sydney, and Marburg, Germany, have all made major shifts in making public transit safer and wayfinding more tactile for blind commuters.        OPPORTUNITY Attend the Hopkins India Conference in DC   Hosted by the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University, the Hopkins India Conference will take place on April 1, 2026, at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. Under the theme Ideas, Innovation & Impact for a Shared Future, the conference brings together leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society to explore India鈥揢.S. collaboration across technology, health, education, and the global economy.     This year鈥檚  include: 

• Namgya C. Khampa: Charg茅 d鈥橝ffaires and Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India in the U.S.
• Sunil Wadhwani: Cofounder and CEO, Mastech Inc. and IGATE
• Seema Chaturvedi: Founder and Managing Partner, Achieving Women Equity Funds 

   and    QUICK HITS Ethiopia鈥檚 blame game after videos reveal starving displaced people in Tigray 鈥�     Seeking Abortion Care Across State Lines After the Dobbs Decision 鈥�      RFK Jr.鈥檚 vaccine advisers drop proposal to revisit covid-19 shot 鈥�     Recent pandemic viruses, including SAR-CoV-2, spread directly to people without adaptation, researchers say 鈥�     Prison sentences for pair who attacked gay men hailed as sign of hope for Kenya鈥檚 LGBTQ+ community 鈥�     Keep calm and be transparent: advice from scientists who retracted their papers 鈥�     These diseases were thought to be incurable. Now AI is unlocking new treatments 鈥�     Could acne be prevented with a vaccine? 鈥�   Issue No. 2878
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: Iran Attacks鈥� Dangerous Fallout; and India Launches Pivotal HPV Vaccine Drive March 10, 2026 TOP STORIES Thousands of Black kidney transplant candidates in the U.S. got moved up on the transplant waiting list as part of an effort to help correct for an earlier race-based formula used to test kidney function鈥攚hich made their kidneys appear healthier than they were, delaying transplant referral; that test was discontinued in 2022.
  Taking a daily multivitamin can slow some signs of biological aging; in who took the daily supplement for two years certain biomakers of aging were slowed by around four months, compared with those who did not; the effect was greater in people who were already biologically older than their years. 
  The U.S. FDA signaled openness yesterday to considering e-cigarettes in flavors deemed appealing to adults, such as mint, coffees, teas, and spices鈥攂ut would continue to reject fruit- and candy-flavored versions thought to be more appealing to teenagers that continue to flood the market. 
  Stimulant prescriptions鈥攎ostly to treat ADHD鈥攄oubled among adults in Ontario since the COVID-19 pandemic began, ; the findings may reflect improved recognition and treatment of adult ADHD, but the authors suggest more research to understand the causes and potential impacts of the rapid rise.  IN FOCUS Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot on March 7, in Tehran. Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Iran Attacks鈥� Dangerous Fallout
     Thousands of people killed or wounded, toxic rain, damaged water infrastructure, and regional instability have followed attacks by U.S. and Israel on Iran.     Casualties: At least 1,255 people鈥攊ncluding 200 children and 11 health care workers鈥攈ave been killed, Iran's deputy health minister Ali Jafarian .  

• 12,000+ people have been wounded鈥攖he majority of which are burn and crush injuries. 

Toxic rain: Israel鈥檚 bombardment of oil facilities has caused 鈥渁 major environmental incident,鈥� .   

• Black smoke billowed from Tehran facilities, posing 鈥渟erious acute and long-term health concerns鈥� for Tehran鈥檚 9 million+ people. 

• Oil-heavy, toxic rain later fell on the city, .   

Water war: Two desalination plants鈥攐ne in Iran and the other in Bahrain鈥攈ave been bombed, sparking concerns of more attacks on the region鈥檚 essential water facilities, .  

• The Iranian desalination plant provided water for 30 villages, said an Iranian official. 

• Much of the country has already endured a years-long drought鈥攍ast year鈥檚 rainfall was nearly half the normal amount. 

Regional crisis: 700,000+ people鈥攊ncluding 200,000 children鈥攊n Lebanon have been forced to leave their homes, , as food insecurity and food prices increase in the region.     Related: 
U.S. Tomahawk Hit Naval Base Beside Iranian School, Video Shows 鈥�        Lebanon: Israel Unlawfully Using White Phosphorus 鈥�    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CERVICAL CANCER India Launches Pivotal HPV Vaccine Drive
    India has launched the world鈥檚 largest free HPV vaccination campaign, offering shots to ~11.5 million 14-year-old girls each year in an effort to prevent cervical cancer, .     Meeting a high burden: India accounts for roughly a quarter of global cervical cancer cases, reporting ~130,000 new cases and ~80,000 deaths each year from the disease.  

• The country has also historically had some of the lowest rates of HPV vaccination coverage in the world.  

Details: The campaign, which has been rolled out this month, will mostly use a single dose of Gardasil, .    Thanks for the tip, Mira Johri!    OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS 鈥楨xtraordinary cruelty鈥�: images show longterm 鈥榮tarvation strategy鈥� in Sudan 鈥�     Federal autism advisory board cancels first public meeting since overhaul 鈥�     What Congress Doesn't Want to Hear About the Chemicals in Your Child's Body 鈥�     Women in Leadership: Global Health's Missing Dose 鈥�     A U.S. scholarship thrills a teacher in India. Then came the soul-crushing questions 鈥�   Issue No. 2877
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: How Political Messaging Rapidly Reshapes Care; and China鈥檚 Push for a 鈥楥hildbirth-friendly鈥� Culture March 9, 2026 TOP STORIES At least 13 hospitals and health sites have been hit during the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, per the WHO, and evacuation orders have forced health facility closures in Lebanon; the WHO鈥檚 logistics hub for global health emergencies in Dubai has also paused operations, threatening emergency supply requests to 25 countries and Gaza.     A landmark human rights ruling has ordered Peru to pay reparations for the 1997 death of an Indigenous woman who died while undergoing forced, government-ordered sterilization; the Inter-American Court of Human Rights judgment is the first to address the policy, which systematically targeted impoverished and Indigenous women in the 1990s.     UK women experiencing miscarriage often face further trauma and distress due to inadequate follow-up care, , which found that ~65% of 1,000+ women reported insufficient follow-up care and that ~42% of those who sought mental health support did not receive it.  

Top U.S. FDA vaccine regulator Vinay Prasad will leave the agency at the end of April; his departure follows controversial decisions including declining to review Moderna鈥檚 new mRNA flu vaccine application (a decision that was later reversed) and rejecting approvals for multiple rare disease drugs.   IN FOCUS Pills spill out of an open bottle of Tylenol brand pain reliever medication, in New York City, on November 3, 2025. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty How Political Messaging Rapidly Reshapes Care    In the weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Tylenol causes autism, emergency room prescriptions of the medication to pregnant women dropped ~10%, 鈥攁 reflection of how swiftly political messaging can influence health behaviors, .    The statement: At a September 2025 White House briefing, Trump warned pregnant women against taking Tylenol, generically known as acetaminophen and paracetamol, claiming it could cause autism鈥攐ver physician recommendations and widespread scientific consensus that there is no causal link.  

• He also touted leucovorin as a promising autism treatment for children, despite no new supporting evidence. 

The study: An analysis of hospital electronic health records found that acetaminophen orders in emergency departments for pregnant women plunged quickly, reaching a ~20% decrease in the third week after the briefing, . Use in non-pregnant women did not change.  

• Prescriptions returned to earlier levels by December, but scientists say the research does not account for cold and flu season, or reflect the rates of acetaminophen taken at home, . 

The bigger picture: The findings show 鈥渏ust how much political leaders can steer health behavior even when there has been no change in the evidence for these therapies,鈥� .     Impact on children鈥檚 prescribing: Meanwhile, outpatient leucovorin prescriptions for children spiked ~71% after Trump鈥檚 statements, despite limited evidence that it helps most autistic children鈥攆urther demonstrating how 鈥減olitical messages are driving and impacting care,鈥� pediatrician Susan Sirota told the AP.   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES POPULATIONS China鈥檚 Push for a 鈥楥hildbirth-Friendly鈥� Culture    Chinese authorities have released a five-year plan to cultivate a 鈥渃hildbirth-friendly society鈥� in an effort to boost the country鈥檚 falling population rate.    Background: China鈥檚 population contracted for a fourth consecutive year in 2025 as the birth rate plunged to a record low, per data released in January.     Policies include: Improved reproductive health services, housing support for families with children, and improved policies on free preschool education.      Plus: Preparing for a 鈥渟ilver economy鈥�: Officials also acknowledged an urgent need for policies that meet the needs of a rapidly aging population, as the number of people ages 60+ is poised to reach 400 million by 2035.  

• Priorities include increasing medical care services, plus 鈥渞efining the social security system.鈥�  

  SPONSORED Train Here. Change the World.    Fast-track your education with the Summer Institutes at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Choose from over 125 credit or noncredit courses in public health to gain experience and get ahead. Built for busy schedules, classes range from a single day to a few weeks and can be taken on-campus or online.

•  

QUICK HITS Measles patients in Utah are developing severe complications, including anemia and liver inflammation, health officials say 鈥�     Can a 鈥淟iving Drug鈥� Cure Autoimmune Diseases? 鈥�     Cancer patients ditch NHS for private chemotherapy 鈥�     Monopolies like Nestl茅 Used COVID to Discredit Breast Milk: Study 鈥�     The surprising way breast cancer screenings could reveal heart disease 鈥�     Dozens advocate for academic research amid funding cuts at UNC rally 鈥�     Reconnecting with culture through innovative Indian Health Service programming 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!    Jarring alarms out, quieter alerts in. New firehouse dispatch systems aim to ease stress 鈥� Issue No. 2876
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: The Addiction-Fighting Promise of GLP-1s; and Punished for Pregnancy Loss in El Salvador Plus: Just a Little R & R.I.P. March 5, 2026 TOP STORIES Chile has eliminated leprosy鈥攖he first country in the Americas to do so and the second globally; WHO and PAHO verified the achievement after the country reached 30+ years without a locally acquired case, the result of .     Cuts to RNA vaccine research threaten to stall three decades of high-stakes scientific research into infectious diseases, cancer, and vaccine development, , which found that RNA technology had the potential to 鈥渋mpact virtually every aspect of human health.鈥�     Breast cancer cases worldwide among women are expected to reach ~3.56 million by 2050, up from ~2.30 million cases in 2023, finds a new statistical analysis, which projected that the mounting burden will disproportionately affect 鈥渢he world's most vulnerable populations鈥� and 鈥渨ill further exacerbate health inequalities across the globe without decisive immediate action.鈥�     Global sea levels could be far higher than previously understood, as inaccurate modeling has led to the levels being underestimated,  that could 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� affect current and future assessments of climate change on coastal communities.   IN FOCUS Basak Gurbuz Derman/Getty Images The Addiction-Fighting Promise of GLP-1s    A large new study adds to building evidence that GLP-1s could be a powerful tool in curbing and even preventing addiction to a wide range of substances, offering new insights and new hope in the field of addiction treatment, .    Details: The study, , followed 600,000+ U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes, and compared the impact of GLP-1 drugs to another diabetes treatment.    Strong risk reductions: Those with existing substance-use disorders who took the GLP-1s saw the following outcomes, : 

• 31% fewer ER visits 

• 26% fewer hospitalizations 

• 39% fewer overdoses 

• 25% fewer suicide attempts 

• 50% fewer drug-related deaths 

Meanwhile, GLP-1 users without prior addiction showed a 14% lower risk of developing substance use disorders to alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, cocaine, and opioids.    Across-the-board-impact: The GLP-1 drugs had a consistent effect across a range of substance types, suggesting a future clinical approach to addiction's root causes. 

• 鈥淸Existing] treatments have been targeting substances one at a time, when the right target was craving, the engine that drives addiction across substances,鈥� .  

Growing insight: Researchers believe GLP-1s quiet 鈥榙rug noise鈥� by acting on brain reward and impulse control circuits鈥攕imilar to quelling food cravings when treating obesity.  

• Or in the words of one Rhode Island mother who was able to reach sobriety from alcohol with the help of a separate pilot program that used GLP-1s: 鈥淚 could walk past those bottles and not care,鈥� . 

Next steps: While scientists say the findings are groundbreaking, they emphasize that randomized trials are still needed before GLP-1 drugs can be recommended as standard addiction treatments,  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS Punished for Pregnancy Loss in El Salvador    After years of slow but sustained progress freeing women jailed under El Salvador鈥檚 total abortion ban, advocates warn that President Nayib Bukele鈥檚 suspension of due process is leading to renewed criminalization of pregnancy loss.    Background: El Salvador has long had one of the world鈥檚 harshest anti-abortion laws, with women facing criminal suspicion and even arrest for obstetric emergencies including miscarriages and stillbirths.  

• Still, steady advocacy between 2009鈥�2023 led to the release of 81 women imprisoned for abortion-related charges. 

Renewed crackdown: Starting in 2022, Bukele suspended a range of civil liberties in an emergency declaration known as the 鈥渟tate of exception鈥� to combat gang violence.  

• Since then, ~29 women have faced prosecution following miscarriages or obstetric emergencies鈥斺�渁 new spiral of criminalization against women,鈥� said advocate Morena Herrera.  

  OPPORTUNITY Global Mental Health Speaker Series: 鈥淲ho is the Provider?鈥� 
Mental health care is delivered in many ways and by many people across diverse settings around the world. The 2026 Virtual Speaker Series from the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Mental Health convenes practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to explore a central question: Who provides mental health support, and in what contexts?    Lara Gregorio, LCSW, of 4C Mental Health kicks off the monthly virtual series on March 11, 2026. Subsequent sessions will feature speakers from around the world, including Kenya鈥檚 Kenyatta National Hospital, Utrecht University, the University of Zimbabwe, King鈥檚 College London, and more.  

• Held via Zoom the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m. ET 

•  

CORRECTION Capital A-Minus 
Michael Bourgon brought us so much joy with  And how did we thank him? By misspelling his home city. Canada's capital, no less. It鈥檚 Ottawa, of course鈥攏ot Ottowa. We regret the error. Please don鈥檛 send the turkeys after us.鈥擳he Editors  ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Just a Little R & R.I.P. 
It can be hard to get certain workaholic types to chill out. Spas and meditation retreats just don鈥檛 always cut it for the 鈥淚鈥檒l-rest-when-I鈥檓-dead鈥� set.     But a coffin just might do the trick!     A Japanese wellness trend promotes reclining in a coffin as a way to put things in perspective,  (Such perspective can be gained via closed-or open-lidded casket options.)     In this case, the box is not a final resting place: A typical 30-minute coffin-lying stint (which can cost ~2,000 yen, or $12鈥�$13 USD) offers just enough time 鈥渢o gaze at life through being conscious of death,鈥� explains designer and custom coffin-maker Mikako Fuse.    Immortalize your memento mori: 鈥淐ute coffins鈥� are bedecked with Instagrammable designs including ginghams and florals, . It's all part of making existential dread, the inevitability of mortality, and the staring into oblivion ...鈥渂right and not so scary."  QUICK HITS Scientists create autism panel, citing RFK Jr.鈥檚 politicization of research 鈥�    Emergency supplies for nuclear or chemical attack distributed across Middle East, says WHO 鈥�     Sudan Declared 'Cholera Free' Amid Rise in Dengue, Malaria, Measles 鈥�     Study warns of underrecognized Lassa fever threat with global implications 鈥�     Navigating conversations with children about war, conflict and other traumatic events 鈥�  Issue No. 2875
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: Stemming the Tide of Stigma; and An Aid Vacuum Leading to Violence March 4, 2026 TOP STORIES The UN issued an urgent call for the protection of civilians amid the Israeli and U.S. airstrikes against Iran, which are displacing thousands and disrupting humanitarian services as violence and instability spreads through the Middle East; UN officials also called for a 鈥減rompt, impartial and thorough investigation鈥� into the Saturday airstrike that hit a Minab school, killing dozens鈥攎any children鈥攁nd injuring dozens more.     26 M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res staffers remain unaccounted for a month after two of the organization鈥檚 medical facilities in South Sudan鈥檚 Jonglei State were attacked, that said the staff fled with much of the local population into rural regions with limited communication connectivity amid ongoing violence.  
A breakthrough shipment of 11 routine vaccines to South Sudan鈥檚 South Kordofan state will 鈥渞estore lifesaving immunization services鈥� to communities cut off from vaccine deliveries since July 2023 because of conflict and siege; the two truckloads of supplies include shots for TB, polio, and measles, and the pentavalent vaccine.  
  U.S. maternal deaths dropped in 2024, that found that 649 mothers died in 2024 during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth, compared to 669 in 2023鈥攁 continued decline from a COVID-19 era spike; the report also found the Black maternal death rate was 3X+ that of the white and Hispanic rates.   IN FOCUS Stemming the Tide of Stigma    The health impacts of stigma on people with mental illness can be severe鈥攊ncluding delays in seeking treatment, lower-quality care, and reduced rates of recovery.     A push for policy: Such impacts are why stigma reduction must play a critical role not just in grassroots advocacy but in national health policy, say Danish health authorities, who adopted a sustained anti-stigma initiative in 2021, . 

• 鈥淪tigma has such an effect that people do not seek psychiatric services,鈥� said Niels Sand酶, the former director of prevention and inequity at the Danish Health Authority, who explained that to strengthen overall treatment, 鈥渨e have to do something about the stigmatization.鈥� 

What Denmark鈥檚 anti-stigma program looks like: Denmark鈥檚 鈥淥ne of Us鈥� program recruits people with lived experience of mental illness to serve as trained 鈥渁mbassadors鈥� who share their stories with professionals in hospitals, schools, and police settings鈥攌ey places where people with mental health illness can encounter help or further harm.     Early impact: Initial evaluations suggest that after meeting the ambassadors, 98% of Danish health workers feel more equipped to meet and care for patients with mental disorders, and 89% said they expected to change their behavior to be less stigmatizing.  

• Such policy-based priorities resonate with a key message of : 鈥淲e cannot change the status quo on mental health without tackling stigma and discrimination.鈥� 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES VIOLENCE  An Aid Vacuum Leading to Violence
The abrupt closure of U.S.-funded youth programs in Colombia鈥檚 Choc贸 province last year has left thousands of at-risk young people without a stable source of community, leading gangs to fill that role.     Background: Violence prevention programs like Youth Resilience and Black Boys Choc贸 once provided mentoring, leadership training, and social activities like dance to thousands of young people, helping to keep them out of gangs.  

• But in the months since USAID funds ceased, those initiatives have struggled to stay afloat.  

Gangs fill the void: Meanwhile, armed groups now run their own social activities and offer jobs in illegal mining and drug economies, drawing many youths back toward gangs and unraveling years of prevention work, advocates say.    OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS A new single-pill treatment for HIV shows promising results 鈥�  
Delays in awards and funding calls worry NIH-funded researchers 鈥�     Leana S. Wen: The CDC is in chaos. But here鈥檚 where it鈥檚 devastating. 鈥�     How Kennedy Is Trying to Revamp Medical School 鈥�     Investigation finds 鈥榮ecretly鈥� added chemicals of unknown safety in US food supply 鈥�     Syngenta says it will stop making pesticide linked to Parkinson鈥檚 disease 鈥�     Climate shocks, not just warming, threaten malaria control efforts in Africa 鈥�     Why Is America Fixated on Protein? 鈥�  Issue No. 2874
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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Clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have continued for a seventh straight day, with humanitarian access to affected areas still restricted, the UN said on Wednesday.

96 Global Health NOW: India鈥檚 鈥楤lood Deserts鈥�; and A 鈥楪ame Changer鈥� for Sleeping Sickness March 3, 2026 TOP STORIES U.S. health officials asked to postpone a PAHO-convened panel to review the U.S. measles elimination status, originally set for April, until November鈥攁fter the midterm elections; the Health and Human Services Department said it needs more time to analyze its measles data.
  The malaria vaccine is reducing hospitalizations and deaths of children in northwestern Nigeria, state health workers say, with hospital cases declining up to 50% a year after the malaria vaccine was added to the routine immunization schedule in Nigeria鈥檚 Kebbi State; 200,000+ children have received at least a first dose. 
  A UN drug alert blocked a shipment of chemicals that could have produced ~1.4 to 3.3 tons of fentanyl鈥攗p to 1.6 billion potentially lethal doses; the UN International Narcotics Control Board released news of the March 2025 seizure as an 鈥渋nternational success story鈥� to demonstrate the importance of the early warning system.
  Consumer Reports found heavy metals in more than half of infant formulas it tested in the U.S.鈥攄espite an FDA pledge to tighten oversight; 26 of 49 formulas contained inorganic arsenic at or above CR's level of concern; more than a quarter of the products tested revealed PFAS, 鈥渇orever chemicals,鈥� and three exceeded CR鈥檚 lead level of concern, though CR stressed none of the levels were high enough to cause immediate harm.   IN FOCUS Employees of a private company donating blood in a LG Mega Blood Donation Camp. March 27, 2025, Noida, India. Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty India鈥檚 鈥楤lood Deserts鈥�    Families of patients needing donated blood in India routinely post desperate pleas on social media because the blood system in states like Jharkhand lacks sufficient supplies, . 

• Large parts of India are considered 鈥渂lood deserts鈥� where local timely, affordable demand goes unmet in at least 75% of transfusion cases.  

• Patients with the inherited blood disorder thalassemia require frequent blood transfusions, so unreliable blood supplies can make tracking down the correct blood group an ordeal for each procedure.   

Shortfall:  that 70% of blood donation is voluntary, critics say it falls far short of that goal. (Voluntarily donated blood to blood banks is  than replacement blood given by relatives or others.) 
Unreliable blood testing: Even when donor blood is obtained, procedures for testing the blood for HIV and other pathogens aren鈥檛 always followed. 

• Three members of a Jharkhand family were infected with HIV in January after the mother received a blood transfusion during labor, . 

Blood donation rate: Though India鈥檚 blood donation rate is twice the average of lower middle-income countries, it鈥檚 less than a third of that of high-income countries, .  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES NEGLECTED DISEASES A 鈥楪ame Changer鈥� for Sleeping Sickness  
A new treatment for sleeping sickness is being heralded as 鈥渢ruly spectacular鈥濃�攁nd a potential key toward eliminating the parasitic disease by 2030, .   The disease is spread through bites of tsetse flies in sub-Saharan Africa and dramatically impacts the nervous system. It is almost always fatal if left untreated.     The new drug acoziborole鈥攁 one-dose, three-pill treatment for sleeping sickness made by Sanofi鈥攔eceived endorsement from the European Medicines Agency last week, paving the way for approval across Africa, .     What makes it different:  

• The pill treats both mild and severe cases, eliminating invasive diagnostics that can include spinal taps. 

• It is one dose and easily transportable to remote regions. 

• And it is effective:  that 95%+ of treated patients were cured after 18 months.  

鈥淚t鈥檚 a game changer,鈥� said Wilfried Mutombo, a sleeping sickness expert leading the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative鈥檚 clinical operations in West and Central Africa.  OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Threat of Child Malnutrition in Iran Amid U.S.-Iran Conflict 鈥�

US Speeds up Signing of Bilateral Health Agreements, DRC Lawyers Challenge Minerals Deal 鈥�     Acting CDC director Bhattacharya urges measles vaccines 鈥�     Egyptian Women Are Still Being Asked to Prove Their Virginity 鈥�     States Move to Limit Access to H.I.V. Treatment 鈥�     Malawi bans dual jobs for health workers 鈥�      Made-in-America Guns Are Fueling Death and Destruction in Mexico 鈥�     Will the next World Food Programme chief answer to Trump? 鈥�     Should tick safety be as popular as 'slip, slop, slap'? 鈥�   Issue No. 2873
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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Pre-teens who struggle to control their video gaming habits are more likely to have psychotic-like experiences a year later, a new study has found.

涩里番 researchers and colleagues at Maastricht University found that 12-year-olds who showed signs of problematic gaming were more likely to experience mild paranoia, unusual beliefs or disturbed perceptions at age 13.

96 Global Health NOW: Warnings of Human Toll as Middle East Conflict Widens; and High-Impact, Home-Based Prevention March 2, 2026 TOP STORIES Sudan鈥檚 Rapid Support Forces  during and after the takeover of El Fasher last October, per a  published last week drawing on interviews with 22 survivors and witnesses.  
Both the DRC and Guinea have forged health cooperation agreements with the U.S.鈥攖he latest of several bilateral deals the U.S. has made in Africa after dismantling its former USAID health funding last year; Guinea鈥檚 agreement totals ~$143 million in funding over the next five years, , and the DRC鈥檚 agreement totals $1.2 billion through 2030, .    Spain reported a possible infection with the swine flu virus鈥攖he A(H1N1)v variant鈥攖hat may have been transmitted between humans, but a Catalonia region health official said the risk of transmission to other people was very low; the WHO is conducting additional tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out contamination or external interference.     Meningococcal B vaccine is not effective at preventing gonorrhea infection in high-risk groups, presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Infections last week ; the findings show that gonorrhea incidence among gay and bisexual men with a history of gonorrhea infection was essentially the same whether they received the vaccine or a placebo.   IN FOCUS Severe damage is seen at Gandi Hospital, in northern Tehran, following U.S. and Israeli joint strikes on the Iranian capital, on March 2. Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Warnings of Human Toll as Middle East Conflict Widens
   As conflict spreads rapidly across the Middle East following joint U.S.-Israel strikes across Iran this weekend, global leaders are warning against escalating humanitarian impacts throughout the region鈥攊ncluding attacks on health care and other civilian institutions:     鈥淗ealth facilities are protected under international humanitarian law,鈥�  in response to 鈥渆xtremely worrying鈥� reports that Tehran's Gandhi Hospital was struck during bombardment, 鈥攄etails that WHO leaders were still working to verify today.  

• In Israel, health care facilities have moved operations underground and to other protected spaces, .  

Humanitarian groups are investigating reports of a strike on a primary school in Minab in southern Iran, after Iranian authorities reported ~150 killed, U.S. and Israeli leaders have not confirmed the attack.  

• such a strike as 鈥渁 grave violation of humanitarian law.鈥� 

Meanwhile, UN leaders called for immediate de-escalation, , as ongoing fallout could lead to 鈥渄estruction on a potentially unimaginable scale ... across the Middle East region,鈥� : 

• 鈥淎s always, in any armed conflict, it is civilians who end up paying the ultimate price,鈥� said T眉rk. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HIV/AIDS High-Impact, Home-Based Prevention    New HIV infections can be dramatically reduced through targeted, home-based care, finds a large-scale study out of Kenya and Uganda, which saw new infection rates cut 70%.     Details: The Sustainable East Africa Research in Community Health (SEARCH) study involved ~80,000 people across 16 communities with 8鈥�16% HIV prevalence, all located in rural regions where access to clinics was difficult.  

• ~500 community health workers delivered tests and PrEP/PEP drugs directly to homes and coordinated follow-up care via smartphone apps. 

• Overall, the intervention led to a 4X increase in use of anti-HIV drugs in people who were not infected with the virus.   

Future impact: Utilizing the 鈥渃ommunity precision health鈥� model plus the adoption of long-acting injectables could push incidence near zero, researchers say.         Related: Kenya to offer patients free six-month HIV 'breakthrough' prevention jab 鈥�   DATA POINT

1,100+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
US measles cases so far in 2026, per the CDC鈥攚ith a placing the number of confirmed cases at 1,153 since January 1.鈥�

Related: Measles outbreaks are costing the U.S. millions of dollars. The true losses can't be counted. 鈥� LETTER TO THE EDITOR Correcting the Story on Australia鈥檚 Cigarette Taxes     Regarding the February 17 GHN summary on a  highlighting the recent increase in illicit cigarettes in Australia, the newspaper missed crucial parts of this important story. As noted, when cigarette taxes and prices increase dramatically, some smokers may shift to illicit cigarettes.      However, experiences in other countries including the U.K. and Montenegro demonstrate that straightforward measures to secure the supply chain mitigate the illegal market. In the U.K., prices are comparable to Australia鈥檚, but illicit trade is a manageable ~10%. They did this through strong policies including registering vendors who are adequately punished for tax violations; placing their customs officials in source countries through mutual agreements; and developing a tracking and tracing system for all tobacco products that permits tax authorities to know precisely where products are.      Australia, however, has done little along these lines, which is their real challenge. Contrary to this reporting, higher taxes are not the central problem but rather a proven public health success.     Jeffrey Drope, PhD  QUICK HITS White House stalls release of approved US science budgets 鈥�      More Parents Say 'No' to Vitamin K Shots for Newborns 鈥�     Why new doctors aren't specializing in infectious diseases 鈥�

Families Defend Disability Services Amid Medicaid Cuts 鈥�

Ivermectin is making a post-pandemic comeback, among cancer patients 鈥�     Why We Vaccinate Our Dogs and Cats 鈥�    Issue No. 2872
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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UN human rights chief Volker T眉rk warned on Friday that the Epstein and Gis猫le Pellicot scandals are an illustration of intensifying threats to women and girls forced to suffer in silence.

Part of the largest CIHR-led cancer prevention investment, 涩里番 researchers will develop approaches to reduce cancer risk and improve early detection聽

96 涩里番 Perspectives on Global Health: February 2026 Issue February 2026  
NEWSLETTER

This February, 

We are highlighting some recently published articles on the blog:

馃敼 Loss of Measles Elimination Status in Canada
馃敼 Still Here: How Colonialism Keeps TB Around 
馃敼 Malignancy in Academia: An Editorial on the Academic Hidden Curriculum of Dysfunction
馃敼 Sex Ed in the U.S. is Under Assault - Our Health, Rights and Relationships Are at Stake
馃敼&苍产蝉辫;The Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohti脿:ke: A Necessity, not a Luxury
馃敼 In Conversation with La Maison Bleue

Not to mention...
馃敼&苍产蝉辫;Spotlight Awards are Open! Winter 2025 Call for Health Experiences IS OPEN! Apply today!

Thank you for being part of our community. Enjoy the read! 馃挋鉁�

-->  Selected Articles for this Month  Loss of Measles Elimination Status in Canada 鈥淪till, the anxiety around this outbreak is not mere frustration at a disease we thought we buried. It is a troubling hint of the vaccine-resistant future that may be waiting ahead." - Author: Becca Winkelaar --> Still Here: How Colonialism Keeps TB Around "The historical trajectory of TB in Canada, particularly its disproportionate impact on Indigenous populations, serves as a poignant illustration of [...] social determinants at play."
- Author: Hillary Wright --> Malignancy in Academia: An Editorial on the Academic Hidden Curriculum of Dysfunction 鈥淎cademia is often idealized as a space of growth, curiosity, and knowledge creation. But glossy mission statements and institutional pride often mask a more uncomfortable reality: a silent curriculum of power, inequity, and waste (). From medical school in Egypt, graduate training in Canada, and through the professional experiences, I have witnessed systems that differ in form but share common dysfunction. I have made mistakes. I remained silent, learned, and watched many others quietly endure the same.鈥�
 - Author: Moustafa Laymouna --> Sex Ed in the U.S. is Under Assault - Our Health, Rights, and Relationships Are at Stake 鈥淪ex education in America has long shifted with each administration, its content dictated by politics rather than public health. Federal funding priorities and Department of Education guidelines now serve as partisan tools in a culture war over our bodies and identities. But political ideology should not determine our right to accurate, life-saving information."
 - Authors: Maya Ueoku, Lila Aspin, Aleeyaa Alam --> The Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohti脿:ke: A Necessity, not a Luxury "In spotlight is the Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohti脿:ke (IHCT), a community health centre that provides necessary care to First Nations, Inuit, and M茅tis in the Montr茅al area and to those visiting the area. Approaching its 10th anniversary, the clinic is a celebration of hard work, determination, and compassion 鈥� removing barriers, delivering culturally sensitive care, and doing so with no charge to its clientele."
 - Author: Hillary Wright --> In Conversation with La Maison Bleue "Last semester, I had the privilege of volunteering at La Maison Bleue (LMB), a social perinatal organization with five branches across Montreal. LMB works with at-risk pregnant women and families, with a mission to reduce social inequalities and promote optimal child development. During my time there, I saw this mission come to life: children meeting with psychoeducators to assess their learning development, mothers attending workshops on Canada鈥檚 immigration process, and families bonding in the waiting room. The organization does more than just provide healthcare and social services; it fosters a community, oftentimes for people who might otherwise lack one." 
- Author: Bridget Li -->  In the Spotlight
  This month, we wanted to highlight a recently published piece by Juwel Rana, former Editor-in-Chief of the 涩里番 Global Health Journal In a nationally representative 2022 study of Bangladeshi adults, higher long-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with increased diabetes risk, with cleaner air targets potentially reducing national diabetes prevalence by up to 7.5%.    Click on the link to read more! -->  Share your Perspective on Global Health
  We are excited to announce our Winter 2026 Call for Papers in the following area:

• Health Experiences

The Health Experiences theme includes and is not limited to personal experiences with healthcare, illness, or an impactful clinical rotation you completed during your studies.

We encourage writers to explore creative aspects of this theme. For example, how do cultural practices or the arts allow us to better understand the illness experience and personalize the care people receive?  What are creative solutions to public health challenges?  

 Click  for submission guidelines.

You can submit your article, photo essay or article pitch to us by emailing us at: globalhealthblog@mcgill.ca. --> Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest information and experiences in global health! Follow us on social media  --> Copyright 漏 2017 涩里番 Global Health Programs, All rights reserved.

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96 Global Health NOW: Somalia鈥檚 Severe Food Insecurity; How Dentists are Driving Antibiotic Overuse Plus: Let鈥檚 Talk Turkey 鈥� Attacks February 26, 2026 TOP STORIES ~$900 million in U.S. funds designated for two public health emergency preparedness programs lack coordinated oversight, , with the two HHS programs鈥攖he Public Health Emergency Preparedness program and the Hospital Preparedness Program鈥攂oth failing to adequately track state and local emergency readiness.     Assisted dying legislation has passed in Jersey, making it the second British Isles region to pass such a statute following the Isle of Man; however, advocates warn that the law鈥檚 enactment could be slowed due to delays in the final approval process known as royal assent.      A 鈥渃ocktail鈥� of plastic particles and chemicals has been identified in microwavable meals,  by Greenpeace International that analyzed 24 recent scientific studies on such products.    Hundreds of international scientists could face increasing restrictions from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, with 3-year work limits, reduced access to labs, and some scientists from certain countries potentially losing all access as a part of proposed new rules.   IN FOCUS A man and children eat together at a camp as people receive food aid packages in Mogadishu, Somalia, February 25. Halil Ibrahim Sincar/Anadolu via Getty Images Somalia鈥檚 Severe Food Insecurity
The number of Somalis facing acute food insecurity has nearly doubled since last year, impacting a 鈥渟taggering鈥� 6.5 million people, as deepening drought, ongoing conflict, exorbitant food prices, and reduced aid all lead to deteriorating conditions, . 

• And drought conditions are expected to remain 鈥渄ire鈥� through the spring, triggering further hunger across southern, central, and parts of northern Somalia鈥攖aking a particular toll on farming families, pastoralists, and people who are displaced, . 

Children at extreme risk: 1.8+ million children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, including ~483,000 experiencing severe wasting鈥攖he deadliest form of malnutrition.     Flagging aid: The crisis has been further compounded by a drop in humanitarian assistance, with food aid reaching only 17% of the 4.8 million people in need in January 2026, . 

• Since aid cuts last year, there has been a 鈥渟ignificant reduction in the availability of nutrition treatment services,鈥� including preventive treatment, supplemental feeding and therapeutic clinics, and early detection and referral services for children.  

Call for intervention: The IPC is calling for an urgent influx of food aid and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) assistance to high-risk 鈥渉otspot鈥� areas. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES INFECTIOUS DISEASES How Dentists are Driving Antibiotic Overuse  
U.S. dentists are prescribing antibiotics at increasing rates, contributing to rising antimicrobial resistance, while failing to install systems to prevent overuse,      By the numbers: Dentists issued 27 million+ antibiotic prescriptions in 2025鈥攁 6% increase since 2020.  

• 80% of antibiotic prescriptions in dentistry are unnecessary, .  

Climbing clindamycin usage: The increase includes 2.3 million prescriptions for clindamycin, a high-risk drug with a link to deadly C. difficile infections, .  

• Clindamycin ranks as the second-most prescribed dental antibiotic despite experts鈥� calls to minimize it. 

Siloed stewardship: While hospitals and health systems have adopted mandatory antibiotic stewardship programs, private dental offices lack similar oversight, shared patient records, or incentives to curb misuse.    Related:
  Curbing overuse of dental antibiotics proves daunting 鈥�     How to avoid inappropriate dental antibiotics 鈥�  OPPORTUNITY Nominations Open for Fries Awards for Health
Do you know someone who has achieved a major accomplishment in health? Nominate them for the CDC Foundation鈥檚 Fries Awards for Health.

• The Fries Prize for Improving Health, a $100,000 prize, is awarded to an individual who has made major accomplishments in health improvement, with emphasis on recent contributions to health, and with the general criteria of the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

• The Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award, a $50,000 prize, recognizes a practitioner or scholar who has made a substantial contribution to advancing the field of health education or health promotion through research, program development, or program delivery.   

Nominations are open until April 4, 2026! 

•   

•  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Let鈥檚 Talk Turkey 鈥� Attacks 
When Ottowa lab tech Michael Bourgon encountered two brazen birds on his walk home from work last week, he tried to be cordial.  

鈥淗ey, what鈥檚 up turkeys?鈥� he greeted. 

But they had come for blood, aggressively following Bourgon and giving him 鈥渢he business,鈥� . As they pecked around his ankles, he quickly realized: 鈥淲hatever this is, I don鈥檛 want it.鈥�  

His next thought: 鈥淧lease don鈥檛 let me be the guy who goes viral for kicking a turkey in the face.鈥� Instead, he gently kicked snow around the birds, which only provoked them further.  

Then, a stunning rescue.  

鈥淗ey, hop in!鈥� a perfect stranger called from a white SUV, despite Bourgon looking鈥攕elf-described鈥斺�渓ike the Unabomber.鈥� 

We know all this thanks to another hero: Quick-thinking passerby Jody Paul knew 鈥渁 naturally funny situation鈥� when he saw one, and captured the   

But it didn鈥檛 stop there. Bourgon still had to face work鈥攁nd the turkeys鈥攖he next day, and the next.  

鈥淏y round three, I was ready鈥濃�攚ith some turkey face-off strategies for us all: Stand your ground, and don鈥檛 be 鈥渃haseable.鈥�  

鈥淒oormats get walked on,鈥� he advised. 鈥淒on鈥檛 put up with the turkey nonsense.鈥� 

QUICK HITS Group unveils 10-year blueprint to reduce blindness 鈥�     Newly released 2025 scorecard unveils progress and setbacks on health and gender equality across Southern Africa 鈥�     More pregnant Americans are skipping prenatal care, CDC finds 鈥�      Scientists discover a key to staying mentally sharp in old age 鈥�      When the next global health crisis strikes, will we be ready in 100 days? 鈥�  Issue No. 2871
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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Spending time in nature, even briefly, triggers changes in the brain that calm stress, restore attention and quiet mental clutter, a new study has found.

Researchers at 涩里番 and colleagues at Adolfo Ib谩帽ez University in Chile have examined more than 100 brain-imaging studies from various disciplines. The result is one of the most comprehensive reviews to date of how the brain responds to nature.

An international early warning system blocked a shipment of chemicals used to make fentanyl that could have produced up to 1.6 billion potentially lethal doses, the UN narcotics control body said on Thursday.

96 Global Health NOW: Scrutiny of Shifting U.S. Aid Strategy; and Antiquated, Isolated TB Care February 25, 2026 TOP STORIES Guinea-Bissau has terminated a controversial U.S.-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial that was suspended earlier over ethics concerns, as it would deny half of all enrolled babies a birth-dose inoculation in the country, which carries one of the world鈥檚 heaviest burdens of hepatitis B infections.      15 U.S. states are suing to reverse changes to federal recommendations that reduced from 17 to 11 the number of diseases children are routinely vaccinated against, contending that the changes were not based on scientific evidence; HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CDC acting director Jay Bhattacharya, and their respective agencies are named as defendants.     Cervical cancer rates in young U.S. women vary 鈥渟ubstantially鈥� by state, based on HPV vaccine uptake, as states with low vaccination rates see minimal progress, ; overall, rates have dropped 27% among U.S. women ages 20鈥�31 since the introduction of the vaccine.     ~6 in 10 U.S. women will have some type of cardiovascular disease in the next 25 years, , which also forecasts 鈥渟urges鈥� in health factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.   IN FOCUS Health workers assist a patient inside a tent at Kuwadzana polyclinic. Harare, Zimbabwe, November 18, 2023. Shaun Jusa/Xinhua via Getty Scrutiny of Shifting U.S. Aid Strategy    As the new 鈥淎merica First鈥� health aid strategy moves toward more transactional agreements, Zimbabwe has rejected a proposed $367 million health package from the U.S.鈥攃iting a 鈥渓opsided鈥� deal that 鈥渦ndermines the sovereignty and independence of Zimbabwe as a country鈥� and that compromises established global health frameworks, .     Objections: Zimbabwe鈥檚 leaders halted the talks over U.S. requirements for Zimbabwe to share sensitive biological and population data without guaranteed access to resulting medical innovations, . Zimbabwe leadership was also concerned about efforts to fold in mineral deals.  

• In response, the U.S. embassy in Harare said health assistance for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and maternal and child health would be wound down. 

Bigger picture: Zimbabwe鈥檚 withdrawal comes as a growing number of African nations sign onto such bilateral agreements鈥攚hich global health experts say resemble China鈥檚 former government-to-government aid model,   

• Now, China is moving away from such bilateral deals, investing instead in self-described 鈥渟mall and beautiful鈥� health projects while strengthening WHO ties and global health partnerships. 

Meanwhile: The U.S. State Department is seeking to overhaul its international disaster response system, proposing a new Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response that will separate international relief from migration policy, .     Related:     What $50 Billion for U.S. Foreign Affairs Changes for Global Health 鈥�   
  How debt relief for developing countries could help reverse the devastating consequences of UK aid cuts 鈥�   
  Little Clarity on Legality of Trump鈥檚 Foreign Aid Shutdown One Year After 鈥�     GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES TUBERCULOSIS Antiquated, Isolated Care
   In northern Cameroon, patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis are often confined in hospital wards for months, unable to see their families or interact with their community until they test negative.    鈥淲e鈥檙e just here,鈥� said TB patient Asta Djouma, who has been in isolation since October.     Outdated model: This sanitarium model was abandoned in many countries decades ago. The WHO has recommended home-based care for most TB patients for the last 15 years, citing research that shows people on home treatment do better mentally and medically.  

• But policy change in Cameroon and other low-income countries has lagged as health systems lack funds to monitor at-home care. 

Ongoing battle: ~40,000 people developed TB in Cameroon in 2024.              Related:  
  Rapid sequencing approach could transform tuberculosis surveillance and care 鈥�
  Tuberculosis funding cuts could cost households up to $80 billion 鈥�    OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Trump cites health care issues in Greenland saying he鈥檚 sending a hospital ship. His claims are off 鈥�

As measles cases climb, these 9 diseases threaten comebacks 鈥�

Hundreds of American nurses choose Canada over the U.S. under Trump 鈥�

Bhattacharya鈥檚 growing power in Trump's HHS worries health experts 鈥�

There鈥檚 a Measles Alert in My Area. Now What? 鈥�

Major Chinese funder to stop paying fees for 30 pricey open-access journals 鈥�

New Type Of Vaccine Could One Day Give Universal Protection Against Colds, Flu, COVID 鈥� Issue No. 2870
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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  Copyright 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.


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96 Global Health NOW: The Power of Polio Influencers in Malawi; and Fiji鈥檚 鈥楾sunami鈥� of HIV Infections February 24, 2026 TOP STORIES Renewed fighting in South Sudan has displaced nearly 280,000, damaged health facilities and hindered humanitarian aid operations, and fueled the spread of cholera; UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warns it amounts to a 鈥減erfect storm鈥� of conflict, climate shocks, and deprivation.  
The U.S. FDA will drop the two-study requirement for new drug approvals鈥攅liminating the longtime standard of requiring two rigorous studies鈥攊n an attempt to speed up the availability of certain medical products.  
Hepatitis B vax rates in the U.S. have slipped in the last couple of years to 73.2% in August 2025, researchers from Harvard and the UC San Diego School of Medicine found鈥攔eversing an era of growth with a high of 83.5% in 2023.
  Cannabis use among adolescents increases the risks of being diagnosed with bipolar and psychotic disorders, as well as anxiety and depression, years later, that analyzed data on 460,000 teenagers in Northern California for a 25鈥搚ear period.   IN FOCUS Health worker Mable Njunga marks a door in Lilongwe, Malawi, indicating the home's children under 5 have had the polio vaccine. March 20, 2022. Amos Gumulira / AFP via Getty The Power of Polio Influencers in Malawi    The detection of poliovirus in sewage treatment plants in Blantyre, Malawi, triggered a massive vaccination drive in the past week. But health authorities are fighting more than the virus. 

• 1.3 million children have been vaccinated against the disease in four days with supplies airlifted by the WHO, .  

Successful but: The rapid response has also run into indifference, misinformation, and reluctant parents. 

• At a Blantyre school, one in 10 students remained at their desks during a vaccination drive because their parents didn鈥檛 give consent.  

• One parent told The Guardian: 鈥淚 feel my child has had enough vaccines in her life.鈥� 

Creative persuasion: Logic and evidence often fail in communities already persuaded by misinformation on social media, said a Unicef polio manager sitting with a group of mothers. So she said health workers turn to influencers: 

• 鈥淵ou can give [a mother] any argument. It doesn鈥檛 matter. And then you have a local influencer walk in, and he says 鈥榲accinate鈥�, and she just hands you the child.鈥� 

Meanwhile in the U.S.: Polio survivors are incensed by a federal vaccine committee chair鈥檚  that polio vaccination should be optional,  One survivor warns that many polio experts have retired and are taking their expertise with them.  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HIV/AIDS Fiji鈥檚 鈥楾sunami of Infections鈥�    Over the course of just five years, Fiji has become home to the world鈥檚 fastest-growing HIV outbreak, with cases surging from 147 in 2020 to 1,226 in the first half of 2025 alone. 

• And without intervention, Fiji health officials warn that number could swell to ~25,000 cases by 2029.   

Driving the epidemic: A boom in methamphetamine use has led to a rise in needle- and paraphernalia-sharing and other high-risk trends increasing transmission.   

• But at-risk populations are expanding beyond people who use drugs: 33 babies were born with HIV in early 2025. 

Lagging health response: While Fijian officials are budgeting for a more robust response, the country currently has limited testing and harm reduction infrastructure, and minimal stocks of antiretrovirals or PrEP.        Related:  
Drugs, denial and stigma: the babies and children swept up in Fiji's HIV nightmare 鈥�  
Zimbabwe rolls out long-acting HIV drug, among first countries to do so 鈥�   DATA POINT

2881
鈥斺赌斺赌�
The number of attacks on health care in Ukraine鈥攊ncluding health workers, facilities, and ambulances鈥攄ocumented by the WHO since the full-scale war began on February 24, 2022. 鈥� CORRECTION In a Top Story last week that , we said 鈥淔ive years into Ukraine鈥檚 war鈥� 鈥� but we should have said, 鈥淎s the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year.鈥� Thanks for flagging that error, Angeline Sawaya! SPONSORED Cells to Society: The Building Blocks of a Public Health Career
   Considering a career in public health? The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is now offering online, noncredit courses for adult learners who are thinking about a career change, are seeking ways to be more helpful in their local communities, or are simply curious about how public health works. Explore available courses and register today to get a preview into a formal public health education.         QUICK HITS Destitute survivors of south-east Asia鈥檚 cyberscam farms an 鈥榠nternational crisis鈥� 鈥�     South Africa regulator backed by the food industry blocks ad on sugar鈥檚 health risks 鈥�     NIH research grant funding rates plummeted in 2025 鈥�     Study: Antibiotic resistance threatens 30-year decline in deaths from lower respiratory infections 鈥�      Vaccine skeptic stepping down from No. 2 post at CDC 鈥�     Biohackers and wellness influencers are pushing nicotine as part of their 鈥榮tacks鈥� 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner! 
How a Syrian refugee built a global mental health lifeline for displaced communities 鈥�   Issue No. 2869
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: Global Health sNOW Day February 23, 2026 iStock/Getty Global Health SNOW Day
GHN is off today due to inclement weather and reduced operations at Johns Hopkins University. We plan to be back tomorrow with all the latest global health news! 鈥�Dayna Issue No. 2868
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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Renewed fighting in South Sudan鈥檚 Jonglei state has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians in recent weeks, damaged health facilities, fuelled the spread of cholera and prompting the UN relief chief to warn of a 鈥減erfect storm鈥� of conflict, climate shocks and deprivation.