August 11, 2026
NEWS IN BRIEF130+ people perished after an earthquake struck Colombia鈥檚 Choc贸 province Monday morning; that toll is likely to rise as overwhelmed rescue teams aided by civilians search for survivors amid collapsed buildings and rubble. 听
A new treatment for HIV-positive newborns could permanently clear the virus, ; given with three days of birth, the regimen combines neutralizing antibodies, standard antiretroviral therapy, and an experimental monoclonal antibody known as leronlimab.听
1 in 20 gunshot victims in the U.S. develop bacterial infections after being hospitalized, , with the greatest risk for those undergoing surgery for gunshot wounds to the head, neck, spine, or lower abdomen.
England is poised to eradicate hepatitis C, health officials say鈥攁 feat that would make it the first country globally to do so; the country鈥檚 ongoing efforts to eliminate the viral infection include widespread blood testing at clinics and emergency departments and free home test kits which have helped identify previously undiagnosed people.
IN FOCUSRaynard Covarrubio fills a syringe with the MMR vaccine at a Lubbock Public Health Department vaccine clinic. March 1, 2025, Lubbock, Texas. Jan Sonnenmair/Getty
Injecting Uncertainty into the Childhood Vaccine SchedulePresident Trump鈥檚 latest aiming to overhaul the nation鈥檚 childhood vaccine schedule is sowing further confusion about the future of U.S. immunization policy, even as measles cases continue to surge nationwide, . 听
Details: The order, issued yesterday, calls for fewer childhood vaccinations; splitting the childhood combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate shots; and delivering vaccines at separate medical visits.
In remarks announcing the order, Trump and administration officials falsely stated that vaccines were linked to autism and claimed with no evidence that the combined MMR shot could be 鈥渜uite lethal.鈥�
The order鈥檚 actual reach: The order urges states to update their vaccine regulations and directs federal action against states with laws that inhibit parental authority and religious freedom. But states ultimately have authority over their childhood vaccine schedules, and such sweeping changes would face a range of roadblocks, .
Separate MMR vaccines are not currently licensed in the U.S., so manufacturers would need to develop and win FDA approval for them. 听
The president cannot legally circumvent the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which has Congressional authority to make vaccine recommendations, and the administration鈥檚 previous move to shorten vaccination schedule was frozen by a federal court. 听
Wider public health worries: If the order鈥檚 guidelines were to be adopted, medical leaders say more doctor鈥檚 appointments would mean missed shots and higher costs, . But an immediate concern is confusion for parents, say public health leaders:
鈥淧arents deserve clear, evidence-based guidance about how to protect their children, not competing recommendations issued through political processes," said Michael Osterholm, director of CIDRAP.
ICYMI: Separating the MMR Vaccine? 鈥�
GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARYIndonesia鈥檚 President Prabowo Subianto watches health workers helping a rehabilitation patient take steps using specialized equipment during the inauguration of the National Neuroscience Institute at the Mahar Mardjono National Brain Center Hospital. Jakarta, Indonesia, August 26, 2025. Photo Courtesy of BPMI Setpres
Bridging the Equity Gap: Financing Indonesia鈥檚 National Stroke StrategyIndonesia carries one of the world鈥檚 highest burdens of stroke, which is emerging as a litmus test of the country鈥檚 commitment to universal, equitable, and sustainable health financing, .
Globally, stroke is the leading cause of disability and the second-leading cause of death. In Indonesia, it accounts for 18.5% of mortality and 11.2% of disability鈥攄riven by diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, and other cardiometabolic risks.
An upper-middle-income country with one of the world鈥檚 largest single-payer health coverage schemes, Indonesia is working to improve high-cost stroke care within its National Health Insurance Scheme (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional, or JKN)鈥攑roviding coverage for stroke diagnosis, care, and rehabilitation services.
Challenges remain鈥撯�搃ncluding structural gaps, uneven access, and a need for more preventive services. Still, Indonesia鈥檚 experience is instructive globally鈥撯�搒howing that financing high-cost stroke care while expanding coverage is possible. 听
to learn more about Indonesia鈥檚 efforts and lessons for LMICs seeking to adjust their own universal coverage systems.
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITSWHO says Congo鈥檚 fast-moving Ebola outbreak started months before it was declared 鈥�
'Nobody is too far gone': Thunder Bay, Ont., woman in alcohol, addiction recovery calls for more resources 鈥� 听
How hospital monopolies are driving up the cost of your health care 鈥�
A midwife crosses 'maternity deserts' to make a difference for Black moms and babies 鈥� 听
Lawrence O. Gostin and Peter Lurie: Dismantling Independent Science鈥擳he Supreme Court and Public Health Regulation 鈥� 听
Living with leopards in the Himalayas 鈥�
鈥楧rops take seconds but change a life for ever鈥�: the women saving India鈥檚 remotest people from polio 鈥�
听Issue No. 2961
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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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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Youth mental health program saves nearly $10 for every dollar invested
An innovative youth mental health service model can improve care and ease pressure on Canada's health-care system, a new study led by researchers at 涩里番 and the Douglas Research Centre demonstrates.
August 10, 2026
NEWS IN BRIEFBundibugyo Ebola cases in the DRC have surpassed 4,000 with no sign of slowing, as 1,850 deaths have been attributed to the outbreak; meanwhile, a phase 3 human trial of the only existing approved Ebola vaccine, Ervebo, to see if it offers cross-protection against the Bundibugyo virus.
Five of nine people in Louisiana infected with the flesh-eating bacterium Vibrio vulnificus have died this year, , which is urging residents to take precautions; all nine cases were linked to wounds exposed to seawater.
Researchers have used AI to create new, viable kinds of viruses not found in nature that were able to infect bacteria; the discovery raises concerns about the dangers of AI to enable the creation of dangerous pathogens, even as it opens up new possibilities for AI鈥檚 role in medical advances. 听
A loophole allowing food companies to put certain chemicals in their products without notifying U.S. food regulators under the label 鈥済enerally recognized as safe鈥� is slated to be changed in a plan unveiled this week by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
IN FOCUSDoctor administering vaccine to older patient during preventive check-up. Getty
The Long Road to a New Flu ShotThe U.S. has approved its first mRNA flu vaccine, Moderna鈥檚 mFLUSIVA鈥攁 major milestone that could make annual flu shots better matched for seasonal strains and allow scientists to more nimbly respond to the rapidly evolving virus, .
Beyond the egg: Flu vaccines, which need to be redeveloped each year, have always faced limitations of time-lag: Traditional vaccines often rely on growing viruses in eggs, a months-long process that can leave the resulting vaccine mismatched to circulating strains that mutate faster than scientists can respond, .
In contrast, the genetic code carried by mRNA shots can be rapidly retooled, giving researchers more flexibility to chase a moving target鈥斺�渁 capacity we have not had before,鈥� Georges C. Benjamin, chief executive of the American Public Health Association, . 听
Regulatory whiplash: While mFLUSIVA was rejected for review by the FDA in February, the agency reversed course days later, and an advisory panel unanimously found that the vaccine鈥檚 benefits outweighed its risks. The FDA has now approved it for adults 50 and older.
Halting progress: mRNA vaccine development in the U.S. continues to stall: Last year, the HHS canceled 22 such projects worth ~$500 million.
And a federal court has frozen the CDC鈥檚 vaccine advisory committee, creating uncertainty over recommendations and insurance coverage for the newly approved shots.
Meanwhile, the EU is moving ahead, having authorized Moderna鈥檚 combined flu-COVID-19 vaccine in April.
鈥淭he United States invented this platform and is the only country walking away from it,鈥� .
After devastating wildfires swept through Maui in 2023, researchers wanted to investigate long-term health effects of fire exposure. But what began as a scientific study has since evolved into a vital health hub for residents of a rural island coping with limited access to specialty care. 听
Background: The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study, conducted by researchers with the University of Hawai鈥榠 on O鈥榓hu, included regular screenings. For many participants, those health checks were the first in years. 听
Through the program, many ended up pursuing care for both acute and chronic conditions. 听
鈥淭he fires were a wake-up call to realize we just don鈥檛 have the infrastructure in place to prevent chronic conditions that were already pervasive in our community,鈥� said Alika Maunakea, one of the study鈥檚 principal investigators. 听
Next steps: The group now hopes to create a nonprofit that combines research, health services, and disaster recovery support.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES OPPORTUNITYLessons on Youth Leadership and Intergenerational Collaboration 听How do youth-led coalitions grow, adapt, and sustain their impact as leadership changes hands across generations?
Learn how in a webinar that brings together coalition leaders and youth advocates to reflect on the full life cycle of youth-led movements鈥攆rom formation and growth to leadership transitions, evolution, and long-term sustainability. The webinar will also mark the launch of the PAI Coalition Building Toolkit.
Hosted by the International Conference on Family Planning and the William H. Gates Sr. Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, in collaboration with PAI.
August 13, 2026, 9鈥�10 a.m. EDT
WHO Chief Says Warehouse Hit in Ukraine 鈥� 听
What I saw in a week on the front line of Afghanistan鈥檚 hunger crisis 鈥�
Three midlife health factors could delay dementia by 13 years, study finds 鈥�
Testing is underway on vaccines to intercept brewing colon cancer before it takes root 鈥�
U.S. disease tracker launches to strengthen monitoring of vaccine-preventable diseases 鈥�
Peanut Allergy? Fecal Transplant Might Be A Solution, Pilot Trial Finds 鈥�
听Issue No. 2960
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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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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Pregnancy complications can signal heart disease risk years before traditional screening, study finds
涩里番 researchers have developed a new tool to identify heart disease risk in women earlier in life.
Findings from a study published in highlight gaps in existing approaches.
July 30, 2026
NEWS IN BRIEFA study on gas stoves and asthma was curtailed by EPA funding cuts, but even partial results found that removing gas stoves from the participants鈥� homes led to fewer asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and missed days of work, while levels of nitrogen dioxide in their kitchens fell by 70%. 听
Antibiotic prescription chatbot tools on hospital staffers鈥� phones are being deployed to help prevent drug-resistant infections in four hospitals across Kenya and Zambia that are a part of a pilot program through , which seeks to optimize antimicrobial stewardship.
A quarter of young Africans are optimistic that USAID cuts could have a positive impact in their home countries, forcing local leaders to solve problems, , which interviewed ~5,000 people across 16 countries. 听
National scabies control programs in Solomon Islands and Fiji led to 鈥渟ubstantial and sustained decreases鈥� of the parasitic skin disease, ; the mass drug administration of ivermectin resulted in drastic reductions of scabies as well as impetigo across all age groups in both countries.
EDITOR鈥橲 NOTEHeads Up: GHN鈥檚 Summer Break Next WeekWe鈥檒l be taking a summer break from publishing GHN next week, August 3鈥�7, to give our team some R&R time. We鈥檒l be back on Monday, August 10, with more news! 鈥撯��Dayna
IN FOCUSA member of staff exits the Madera Community Hospital, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2023, in Madera, California, on May 10, 2023. Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty
Hazards of Investor-Driven HealthcareThe hypothermia death of a patient at an Illinois hospital last year is just one portrait of widespread human risks increasingly associated with the financialization of healthcare, advocates say. 听 听
One person鈥檚 life: Last year, a patient at Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, Illinois, became disoriented and wandered to a rooftop, where she was stranded for hours in freezing temperatures before her death. Her family later learned she had been assigned a sitter out of safety concerns鈥攂ut staffing furloughs instituted a week prior by the hospital鈥檚 for-profit owner, American Healthcare Systems, meant no sitter was available,
The bigger picture: The case reflects broader concerns that private equity and other investor-backed ownership models create pressure to cut costs at the expense of patient safety.
Earlier this month, identified 500+ joint ventures between private equity and nonprofit healthcare providers, . 听
But states are pushing back: This summer, Vermont became the latest state on a growing list pushing for greater regulatory powers over private equity in healthcare, .
Further fears: Looming Medicaid cuts from the 鈥淥ne Big Beautiful Bill Act鈥� set to be enacted next year are expected to increase financial pressure on hospitals, and the Medicare Rights Center has warned of blows to and .
In hearings next week, senators will hear about the 鈥渙n-the-ground reality of Medicaid cuts,鈥� . 听
In the face of $28 billion in new costs, requiring large corporations to pay a 鈥淔air Share鈥� contribution to the state鈥檚 safety net health coverage, Medi-Cal, .
Related: Private equity might dodge state laws by partnering with healthcare nonprofits 鈥�
A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEFBrian interviews a Soft Power Health clinic leader about the impact of U.S. government funding cuts on patients in Kyabirwa, Uganda, on July 4, 2025. Joanne Cavanaugh Simpson听听
Farewell, ReadersMy last day as GHN鈥檚 editor-in-chief will be August 24. (In GHN style, I lead with the key point first.)
After 25 thrilling, challenging years at the Bloomberg School, I am moving on to new opportunities. It鈥檚 been the great joy of my professional life to document the expansive landscape of public health challenges and the lifesaving efforts of so many dedicated people. Along the way, I鈥檝e watched GHN grow from an email I鈥檇 send to a dozen or so office colleagues into a newsletter with 50,000+ subscribers in 170 countries.
GHN鈥檚 success is due to our amazingly talented team: Dayna, Annalies, Morgan, Kate, Jackie, and Melissa. Special thanks go to Dayna, GHN鈥檚 full-time managing editor. She shoulders much of the day-to-day work, ensuring that GHN remains an invaluable resource.
Finally, I want to thank you, our GHN readers, who have supported us for the past 12 years by giving us your time, attention, ideas, and financial support. Together, we鈥檝e built a special community within the field of global health.
Knowing all of this will continue after I鈥檝e moved on exceeds my most improbable hopes.
I still plan to work in global public health, so please stay in touch.
Thank you again,
Brian W. Simpson, MPH
Editor-in-Chief, Global Health NOW
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Buy It Some Peanuts and Cracker JacksThe scoreboard said Orioles vs. Tigers. But the real MVP Monday night at Detroit鈥檚 Comerica Park was an animal of the brighter-eyed and bushier-tailed variety.
In a nutshell: A 鈥渞ogue鈥� in the sixth inning and ran away with the game as it zigzagged to the infield and found an ally in Orioles third-base coach Buck Britton鈥攚ho rewarded it with a few sunflower seeds, . 听
It then went on a tear in the seventh, leading the entire grounds crew on a wild chase, flipping into and out of Leody Taveras鈥� glove, and earning its own riveting broadcast play-by-play before finally getting captured in a towel (to a stadium-wide chorus of boos) and escorted away.
鈥淭he whole squirrel thing was nuts,鈥� Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said after the game, .
If you build it, they will come: This isn鈥檛 the first time a squirrel has scurried into the Tigers鈥� home park. Another furry free agent鈥攐r perhaps the same big-league hopeful鈥攙isited Comerica Park last season, . Was an acorn misplaced? Or could it be time for a new Detroit mascot?
QUICK HITSIs it safe to drink Red Bull and vodka? Dubious research tied to the company has shaped energy drink policy. 鈥�
What a Legionnaires鈥� Outbreak Can Teach Us About Water Vigilance 鈥� 听
Most 鈥極varian Cancer鈥� Isn鈥檛. And That Fact Can Save Lives. 鈥�
Advancing oncology education in low-income and middle-income African settings: global insights for local action 鈥�
Ten years after WHO recognition, mycetoma remains one of the world鈥檚 most neglected diseases 鈥�
Limiting sugar before the age of two could cut risk of dementia, study suggests 鈥�
The 鈥楧omino Chains鈥� Transforming Kidney Donation 鈥�
听Issue No. XXXX
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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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 29, 2026
NEWS IN BRIEFAn mpox outbreak has grown to 3,000+ cases and killed 20 in Madagascar, where the virus鈥檚 clade 1b strain has hit several coastal city commercial hubs; ~65% of mpox tests carried out in the country have been positive鈥攁 sign that many cases may be going undetected.
Europe is off-track from its 2030 target to eliminate viral hepatitis, ; the region has made steady progress, however, with hepatitis B prevalence now at near-zero levels among children under 5.
The WHO has updated leishmaniasis treatment guidelines for eastern Africa and South-East Asia, that 鈥渟ignificantly improve patient care,鈥� including alternatives to the longstanding regional protocol that uses sodium stibogluconate, a drug that requires painful daily injections and causes severe side effects.
The American Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis for the second time in its history as blood donations fell to a four-year summer low, worsened donor turnout has likely been driven by extreme heat, poor air quality, and outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, the Red Cross said.
IN FOCUSCallum Diaz-Cheng, 3 (left), and Aevin Lee, 2 (right), play while waiting for their vaccinations at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, with physicians Andrew Cheng and Jennifer Su nearby. June 21, 2022. Wesley Lapointe/Los Angeles Times via Getty
Ongoing U.S. Vaccine Volatility听The outlook for vaccine policy in the U.S. remains in flux as the White House pushes for sweeping changes even as state legislators, court rulings, congressional resistance, and polling indicate pushback against an anti-vaccination agenda. 听
International outlook: The State Department will release ~$600 million that Congress appropriated months ago for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sen. Susan Collins announced yesterday, ; the disbursement comes after Kennedy sought to delay the funding over criticisms of Gavi. 听
Federal outlook: After a federal judge paused the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to narrow the routine childhood immunization schedule, recent reporting suggests that President Trump pushed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be more aggressive in rolling back vaccine requirements鈥攄espite polling showing vaccine cutbacks are politically risky ahead of the midterms, . 听
State outlook: Vaccine-related laws were a fixture in state legislative sessions this year, with ~400 bills introduced鈥攊ncluding 200+ across 34 states that aimed to weaken vaccination rules or systems, .
Playground outlook: Meanwhile, parents are proving to be some of the more vocal advocates for childhood vaccinations: found that 36% of U.S. parents in a nationally representative study reported advocating that other parents vaccinate their children, while 12% discouraged other parents from vaccinating, .
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES DISABILITYSupport Networks Take Root in NigeriaIn Nigeria, people with Down syndrome and other disabilities and their families have long endured isolation and discrimination, with few resources or cultural support. 听
But that is slowly changing, as advocates nurture growing peer support communities, which are also beginning to push for greater institutional change. 听
A 2024 national assessment of disability inclusion in Nigeria found that longstanding systemic barriers have prevented 鈥渇ull participation in national life鈥� for many with disabilities. 听
And in many regions, beliefs that disabilities are caused by curses or witchcraft persist. 听
Strengthening supports: Groups formed in the last few years, including GlowingStar Empowerment Initiative and Development, aim to connect families, provide public education, and push for policy change like more inclusive schools, affordable healthcare, and bolstered caregiver support. 听
MINI POLLHow do you feel about the geographical balance in GHN?
QUICK HITSActivists and leaders at global HIV meeting decry price of prevention drug 鈥� 听
Lancet Report Recommends Paradigm Shift in Care for Older Adults with HIV 鈥� 听
Six key issues we鈥檙e watching at Fauci鈥檚 hearing 鈥�
FDA official says food supply is safe as cyclosporiasis cases climb 鈥�
Trump Has Quietly Throttled an Agency Devoted to the Safety of American Healthcare 鈥�
Temps are predicted to hit 106 in Egypt this week. How do people stay cool? 鈥�
听Issue No. 2598
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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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 28, 2026
NEWS IN BRIEFA severe drought in Eastern Uganda has caused crop failures that have led to 19 deaths from hunger; the government announced plans to distribute 9,400 tons of emergency food supplies over the next two months.
A cheery Barclays research note recently advised investors on profit opportunities from the 鈥渟uper鈥� El Ni帽o weather cycle, which is predicted to cause extreme weather events that may leave 100 million people hungry.
Fewer adolescent participants in a key U.S. mental health study reported using tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana last year鈥攃ontinuing a positive trend among 12- to 17-year-olds.
U.K. industrial farms that raise chickens have led to a dangerous increase in the Campylobacter bacterium鈥攁 common cause of diarrhea, ; the crowded industrial conditions are fostering antimicrobial resistance.
IN FOCUSParkside Pediatrics provider, Nathan Heffington, preps in full PPE gear to asses a patient with measles symptoms. Spartanburg, South Carolina, January 30. The Washington Post
The New Normal of an Old ThreatAs the U.S. marked its highest measles case count in 35 years last week, American doctors are voicing frustration as they grapple with the resurgence of a preventable virus, .
The overview: , as of July 24鈥攚ith nearly all of the confirmed cases in unvaccinated or undervaccinated people, .
That number already outpaces last year鈥檚 total measles cases鈥攁nd jeopardizes the U.S.鈥檚 measles elimination status, to be determined later this year.
鈥淭he significance of reaching this milestone is that the US has not been able to stop measles virus transmission or outbreaks as it has in the past,鈥� 鈥攁dding that the virus is spreading between communities in the U.S., rather than being limited to infections brought in from abroad.
The frontline view: In a series of , six Utah doctors describe treating unvaccinated children hospitalized for measles, and the complexities of discussing the virus and vaccines with parents.
鈥淚 wish that people could see what I see,鈥� says Nathan Money, a hospital pediatrician in Utah. 鈥淚 see what happens when things go poorly鈥� And the child is terrified, and the parents are scared that their child might die.鈥�
The long view: With an unavoidable need for more therapeutic tools amid declining vaccination, researchers and biotech companies are stepping up efforts to develop measles-specific treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs, .
GHN EXCLUSIVE Q&AVital Strategies CEO Mary-Ann Etiebet speaks to the UN General Assembly foreign policy panel in September 2025. Courtesy: Vital Strategies
Vital Strategies鈥� Mary-Ann Etiebet on Global Health鈥檚 FundamentalsShe calls it her 鈥渂aptism by fire.鈥�
Mary-Ann Etiebet took charge of the global public health organization Vital Strategies just months before the U.S. government upended global health last year. The CEO says the cuts have cost lives and livelihoods, and caused 鈥渢ectonic plate shifting in global health and global health financing.鈥�
They have also created an opportunity for global health 鈥渢o move away from a scarcity mindset, where we鈥檙e all fighting over a slice of the pie.鈥� Instead, she argues, it鈥檚 time to find ways to increase the pie.
Takeaways from her :
鈥淚f governments enact health taxes to increase the price of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary beverages by 50% globally, in five years, we could get $3.7 trillion. This could support up to 40% of national health budgets in low- and middle-income countries.鈥�
Such health taxes have a 鈥渢riple win effect: raising revenue, reducing healthcare burden, and saving lives.鈥�
Investment in noncommunicable diseases is lacking because 鈥渕ost of the NCD data is all modeling and estimates.鈥� Developing national data systems like birth and death registries would yield reliable data that would be 鈥渉arder to ignore,鈥� she says.
After PCOS became PMOS, there鈥檚 hope for new awareness among Black and Latina women 鈥� 听
When spit hoods are used on children, troubling patterns emerge 鈥�
Trump administration demands hospitals share emergency room records 鈥�
AI helps Stanford scientists discover 鈥渘atural Ozempic鈥� without the usual side effects 鈥�
Study links heavy TV watching to brain changes tied to Alzheimer鈥檚 鈥�
International PhD students to face strict limits on time in the US 鈥�
听Issue No. 2597
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 27, 2026
NEWS IN BRIEFMore health workers have gone on strike at a treatment center in the Ebola epicenter of eastern Congo, demanding pay as the rapidly growing outbreak nears ~3,000 confirmed cases and 1,300+ deaths.
Migraine-related ER visits increase during periods of wildfire smoke, in which Canadian researchers analyzed ~1 million emergency visits for migraine conditions between 2010 and 2023 and saw a 6% uptick in such visits during periods of smoke-filled air.
Baltimore is expanding its 911 dispatch to include 鈥渨raparound support鈥� for crises that may not require EMS or police response, including connection to mobile crisis teams for people in mental health distress and emergency housing support; the service will be funded by opioid-related legal settlements.
Restricted eating windows could be linked to a reduced dementia risk, presented at the American Society for Nutrition鈥檚 annual meeting, which found that cognitive skills were improved in older women who restricted their eating to an 8鈥�9-hour window and avoided eating four hours before bed, compared with participants who spread their meals across ~12 hours.
IN FOCUSA nurse prepares to inject a patient with lenacapavir on June 8, at Paulina Morapeli Clinic in Embalenhle township outside Secunda, South Africa. Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty
Hope and Headwinds in the HIV FightThe world鈥檚 largest scientific conference on HIV/AIDS kicks off this week at an inflection point in the decades-long fight against the virus: The promise of wider PrEP access is rapidly brightening the outlook in some of the world鈥檚 most vulnerable communities. At the same time, funding cuts and political shifts threaten to undermine years of progress.
That tension was on full display at the yesterday in Rio de Janeiro, where health activists protested U.S. PEPFAR disruptions and U.S. officials acknowledged a need to continue reaching at-risk populations.
Pivotal moment for PrEP: Merck announced last week that it licensed seven generic manufacturers to produce a low-cost version of its investigational monthly PrEP pill, alimatravir, for 129 LMICs, .
The decision could rapidly expand access to the pill in those countries if late-stage clinical trials succeed. 听
Progress meets political disruption: Such innovations come as progress has stalled on cutting HIV infection rates. There were 1.2 million new HIV infections in 2025, per UNAIDS, while recent analyses show PrEP initiation fell sharply in several high-burden countries amid reductions in U.S. and other donor funding.
U.S. under scrutiny: Meanwhile, a U.S. government session outlining the country鈥檚 new 鈥淎merica First Global Health Strategy鈥� was interrupted by HIV activists blowing whistles and chanting, 鈥淵ou lie, people die,鈥� .
At the session, U.S. officials acknowledged that despite the recent focus on treatment for mothers and babies, ending the epidemic requires reaching 鈥渁ll people at risk鈥濃�攊ncluding key populations. 听
鈥淲e can鈥檛 forget any group because if we do, we will fail,鈥� said Rebecca Bunnell, deputy head of implementing PEPFAR. 听
Related:
Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean helped build the future of HIV prevention. But will they be able to benefit from it? 鈥� 听
She Wasn鈥檛 Supposed to Survive. Her Fight Saved Thousands 鈥�
Kenyan Professor Kenneth Ngure Elected President of the International AIDS Society in Brazil 鈥�
DATA POINT300,000
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Drowning deaths worldwide each year鈥攎ost preventable, and 90%+ in LMICs. Ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day yesterday, the WHO released a technical package of ; the framework is being launched in Ghana, where ~three people die each day from drowning. 鈥�
An emerging field of study and innovation is stemming from a long-discarded biological resource: menstrual blood. 听
A growing number of researchers and biotech companies are exploring the potential of such blood samples as a tool for understanding fertility, diagnosing disease, and studying the body鈥檚 healing systems.
Recent developments include:
A system that collects and analyzes blood from used tampons, creating a 鈥渓iquid biopsy鈥� without invasive procedures.
A self-collection kit that uses a tampon to screen for HPV.
An FDA-approved pad used for hemoglobin A1c monitoring. 听
A menstrual cup used for endometriosis diagnosis. 听
Broader insights: Researchers are also studying whether menstruation may provide a 鈥渂lueprint鈥� for the body鈥檚 response to inflammation and tissue repair.
OPPORTUNITY Conference: Tending to the Public Health WorkforceJoin the National Network of Public Health Institutes in lively Nashville, Tennessee, August 24鈥�26, 2026, for their annual public health workforce development conference, Open Forum: Next Generation. 听
Students get a discounted rate of $375 for the entire conference.
by July 29!
Ebola Thrives in DR Congo鈥檚 Chaos. The World May Soon Pay the Price 鈥�
Yemen鈥檚 health workers race to halt latest outbreak of deadly dengue fever 鈥�
Gaza: Dialysis patients face gruelling hospital journey by donkey cart 鈥�
Todd R. Lawrence and Madison A. Kesler: E-bikes, e-scooters are a burgeoning pediatric public health emergency 鈥�
NIH is again terminating grants that the Trump administration dislikes 鈥�
Trump 鈥減ublic charge鈥� rule resets health test for green cards 鈥�
Grocery Shopping in the Age of Explosive Diarrhea 鈥�
听Issue No. 2596
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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