涩里番

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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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.

96 Global Health NOW: Afghanistan鈥檚 鈥楥atastrophic鈥� Hunger Plus: Birth Certificates for Bangladesh鈥檚 鈥業nvisible鈥� Children February 19, 2026 TOP STORIES Libya has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, the WHO has validated鈥攖he result of a decades-long effort that involved improved surveillance, expanded surgical care, and training and support for eye health workers that was 鈥減articularly notable given years of political instability and humanitarian challenges鈥� that strained health services.   
 
New FDA guidance for antibiotic use in food-producing animals seeks to add duration limits to medically important antibiotics; but critics say  fails to adequately address the rise and spread of antibiotic resistance and the potential impacts on human health.  
 
Early prenatal care has declined in the U.S., with the share of births to women who had prenatal care in the first trimester dropping from 78.3% in 2021 to 75.5% in 2024, ; while reasons for the decline were not cited, the decrease was higher for mothers in minority groups, and specialists pointed to the rise in maternity deserts as a likely factor.   
 
Greater air pollution exposure has been linked to heightened Alzheimer鈥檚 risk, , which found that air pollution affected the brain through direct effects rather than through other chronic conditions.  IN FOCUS A malnourished child holding his mother鈥檚 hand inside the M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res therapeutic nutrition center at a hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, on January 8. Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Afghanistan鈥檚 鈥楥atastrophic鈥� Hunger
Afghanistan faces a historic surge in malnutrition, as aid cuts, displacement, and drought leave two-thirds of the country鈥檚 population facing serious or crisis levels for acute malnutrition, . 

• 鈥淲e have a catastrophic nutritional crisis on our hands,鈥� said John Aylieff, Afghanistan Country Director for the UN's World Food Program, noting that levels of malnutrition are the highest ever recorded in the country at 17.4 million people.  

Driving hunger: After the 2021 Taliban takeover, foreign aid plummeted and economic collapse left many without a lifeline for nutritional assistance. Since then, conditions have only worsened because of drought, earthquakes, and the return of 5.3 million Afghans expelled from Pakistan and Iran.    U.S. aid cuts last year delivered a devastating blow, and donors have since struggled to keep pace with the needs.    Most at risk:  

• Children: ~4 million children are acutely malnourished, and 500+ child deaths have been logged in recent months鈥攍ikely an undercount.  

• Women: Prohibited from work, women are especially vulnerable. WFP has recorded a 30% rise in malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women, and is seeing an uptick in suicidal calls from women with nowhere to turn.  

Fragility as Ramadan begins: 鈥淢any are beginning the fasting period without reliable incomes,鈥� . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HUMAN RIGHTS Birth Certificates for Bangladesh鈥檚 鈥業nvisible鈥� Children
Hundreds of undocumented, 鈥渋nvisible鈥� children born in brothels in Bangladesh now have birth certificates, opening the door to education and protections they previously could not access.     700+ children are newly documented after years of campaigning by activists with the Freedom Fund, who advocated for better documentation by pointing to a 2018 law that allows registration without a father鈥檚 details, and who worked to identify the children and collect their information.     Unlocking basic rights: The certificates will allow the children to enroll in school, acquire passports, and vote.  

• Documentation can also help protect children from trafficking.  

The quote: 鈥淭hese documents are not just a tool, it鈥檚 about survival,鈥� said Khaleda Akhter, Bangladesh program manager for the Freedom Fund.     ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION A Dog Has His Day
It鈥檚 safe to say that us non-athletes don鈥檛 spend most of our lives thinking about triple axels, frantically sweeping near a kettle-type-thing, or cross-country-skiing-really-far-then-shooting-something.  

But then for a few weeks every four years, we sink into our sofas and become winter sports dilettantes. We cry tears of joy and disappointment, lament scoring injustices, marvel at back stories鈥攁nd wonder, popcorn in hand, if we might have stood a chance at Olympic greatness. 

• What we never considered: What if we just 鈥� joined in?  

Nazgul, a local Czechoslovakian wolfdog, did just that,  of the women鈥檚 cross-country skiing qualifying race at Milano-Cortina. Immediately disqualified on grounds of being male, a dog, and not even on skis, Nazgul was nevertheless the star of the event, . 

A true sportsman, Nazgul congratulated fellow athletes with bum-sniffs at the finish line. Greek skier Konstantina Charalampidou welcomed the competition. 

鈥淚 wanted to pet him, but I didn鈥檛 have the time.鈥�
 
 The sacrifices of an Olympian. QUICK HITS Measles cases in South Carolina rise by 12 to 962, state health department says 鈥�      NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya will take over leadership of CDC temporarily 鈥�      Why is the US targeting Cuba鈥檚 global medical missions? 鈥�      FDA will drop two-study requirement for new drug approvals, aiming to speed access 鈥�      New Inhalable Tuberculosis Treatment Could Replace Months of Daily Pills 鈥�     The most dangerous sport at the Winter Olympics? It鈥檚 not luge or ice skating 鈥�  Issue No. 2867
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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Scientists at 涩里番 and the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute have developed a new way to deliver cancer immunotherapy that caused fewer side effects compared to standard treatment in

96 Global Health NOW: Forced Begging in Ethiopia; and Botswana鈥檚 Health Care Breakdown February 18, 2026 TOP STORIES Five years into Ukraine鈥檚 war, more than a third of the country鈥檚 children鈥�2,589,900鈥攔emain displaced, including 791,000+ children inside Ukraine and nearly 1.8 million children who are now refugees outside the country.  
The UK government launched a vaccination campaign in response to a measles outbreak in North London; vaccine coverage with both doses of the MMR vaccine have now dropped to 89% across England, and below 65% for some areas.     Moderna鈥檚 flu vaccine will now be reviewed by the U.S. FDA after the agency reversed its decision last week to reject the application for the vaccine, which is made with mRNA technology.     The maker of Roundup, the weedkiller, has announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits which allege the chemical company, Bayer, failed to warn people that Roundup could cause cancer.   IN FOCUS People beg in the streets in central Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. November 16, 2010. Per-Anders Pettersson Forced Begging in Ethiopia     People with disabilities are frequently trafficked and forced to beg in Ethiopia鈥檚 major cities in an often overlooked form of human trafficking that researchers describe as a 鈥渃rime hiding in plain sight,鈥�  that is among the first to focus on the specific form of trafficking.     Exploiting vulnerability: Children with disabilities from poor rural families are especially at risk, facing stigma, exclusion, and almost no access to school or social support. 

• Traffickers often convince parents to allow them to take their children to urban areas like Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, and Mekelle鈥攑romising education or medical care. 

Extreme abuse: Once trafficked, the children are often forced to beg for long hours, often under 鈥渃ruel and inhumane鈥� conditions including near-starvation, minimal sleep, and constant threats of physical violence and abandonment.  

• 鈥淚 would go out crawling on my hands since I didn鈥檛 have a wheelchair,鈥� reported one female survivor with a physical disability, adding that if she returned with too few earnings her trafficker 鈥渋nsults me and hits me.鈥� 

• Most were too afraid or dependent upon traffickers to seek help, and the police rarely provided a pathway out. 

Calls for intervention: Researchers say trafficking can be prevented and reduced through: 

• Stigma reduction, including inclusive education and jobs for those with disabilities. 

• Safer reporting mechanisms and tailored law enforcement response.  

• Support systems after rescue, informed by survivor experience. 

   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEALTH SYSTEMS Botswana鈥檚 Health Care Breakdown    Botswana's once-model health system is swiftly deteriorating amid a diamond trade slump that has drained national finances and exposed weaknesses in the country鈥檚 health funding structure.     Severe shortages: Medicine and supply stocks at hospitals have run out, forcing staff to buy supplies out-of-pocket, and leading to extensive wait times.  

• A public health emergency was declared six months ago, but an ombudsman鈥檚 new investigation reveals continued struggles, including the country鈥檚 largest hospital being reduced to an 鈥渙ld, heavily worn vehicle, overloaded with passengers.鈥�  

Need for reform: While emergency measures are being implemented, including a $43 million infusion from The World Bank, officials are calling for deep systemic reform鈥攍ike changes to drug procurement and health insurance.       OPPORTUNITY Watch the Series, Host a Screening
in the Escape the Neglect: Stories from the Front Lines docuseries, following the innovation arc in the treatment of sleeping sickness in the DRC, is now live. 

•  produced by Devex in partnership with the Gates Foundation, spotlights the human stories from the global effort to end neglected tropical diseases in Nigeria, India, and the DRC. 

Host a screening: These short films (5鈥�10 minutes each) offer a simple, meaningful way to spark conversation. To make hosting easy, the creators of the series developed  a flexible toolkit that provides everything you need to facilitate an in-person or hybrid event, including:  

• A facilitation guide with inclusive, action鈥憃riented discussion prompts. 

• An NTD factsheet with episode鈥憇pecific context. 

• 搁别补诲测鈥憈辞鈥憉蝉别&苍产蝉辫;颈苍惫颈迟补迟颈辞苍 and promotional language. 

QUICK HITS UK cuts aid further than any G7 country, including the US 鈥�     Vaccine Makers Curtail Research and Cut Jobs 鈥�      Chlorine Dioxide, Raw Camel Milk: The FDA No Longer Warns Against These and Other Ineffective Autism Treatments 鈥�     Progress on family planning in Afghanistan is still possible 鈥�      The science influencers going viral on TikTok to fight misinformation 鈥�     This form of mental exercise may cut dementia risk for decades 鈥�  Issue No. 2866
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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La r茅sistance anti-ICE au Minnesota et le devoir de m茅moire de nos lign茅es solidaires.

96 Global Health NOW: Booming 鈥楤ootleg Cigarettes鈥� Down Under; and the Race for WHO Leadership Ramps Up February 17, 2026 TOP STORIES Mortality among people who inject drugs and participated in a Stockholm, Sweden, needle and syringe program declined over a decade of harm reduction intervention expansion, including a take-home naloxone effort;  observed a marked reduction in opioid overdose deaths.      Plastic water bottles contained more chemicals than glass:  tested 37 Belgian brands and found 17 endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol B and acetaminophen鈥攁nd observed that higher price correlated with increased phthalate levels.     The benefits of intermittent fasting 鈥渇ail to match the hype,鈥�  of 22 studies that found little to no weight loss improvement compared to regular dietary advice or doing nothing at all for people who were overweight or obese.  
Ultra-processed food companies hijacked the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) 鈥渓oophole鈥� to let questionable ingredients slip into American food products, says U.S. health secretary RFK Jr., who pledged to act on a petition from former FDA chief David Kesler to address the issue.  IN FOCUS Pedestrians walk past signs outside a tobacconist and convenience store in central Sydney, Australia. March 27, 2025. David Gray/AFP via Getty Booming 鈥楤ootleg Cigarettes鈥� Down Under 
Australia鈥檚 aggressive taxes on cigarettes have driven down smoking rates and raised an average pack鈥檚 cost to US$40. But they鈥檝e also unleashed a nationwide black market, . 

• The tax on a single cigarette has tripled in a decade to about US$1.06.  

Unintended consequences: 

• The price spike has launched a huge demand for illegal cigarettes. A pack of under-the-counter cigarettes costs as little as US$7. 

• Illegal cigs are commonly sold at shops and via private sales, accounting for perhaps half of all tobacco sales.  

• Criminal gangs are smuggling in cigarettes from the Middle East or China.  

• 鈥� 鈥� have spawned 100+ firebombings and hundreds of attacks on shopkeepers and others, as turf battles have erupted among gangs.  

Next steps: Government officials have previously rebuffed any discussion of reducing the excise tax to stem the illegal trade, but last week finance minister Katy Gallagher acknowledged that all options are on the table, . 
Public health perspective: The illegal market has made prices so cheap that further tax increases wouldn鈥檛 do much good, said Becky Freeman, a University of Sydney tobacco expert.  

• 鈥淚 only support tax increases if they are effective at reducing smoking,鈥� Freeman said.  

Related:  
Smoking And Quitting Behaviors Vary by Socioeconomic Position 鈥�        Exclusive: India sticks to e-cigarette ban in snub for Philip Morris 鈥�   DATA POINT

123 million
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�斺��
Additional malaria cases in Africa by 2050 that could be triggered by climate change, driven mostly by extreme weather events, led by researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University. 鈥�
  WHO Race for WHO Leadership Ramps Up    Diplomatic maneuvering has begun for the WHO's next director-general, as the nomination process opens in April for next year鈥檚 vote.     And while a list of rumored candidates is growing, the successor to current chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus faces an 鈥渆xistential convergence of crises鈥� amid geopolitical rifts and major funding challenges.     An agency at a crossroads: The WHO鈥檚 next leader will have to steer the agency at a critical juncture that includes a $1鈥痓illion funding gap after the U.S. withdrawal, a 25% staff cut, and low morale.     Seeking a 鈥渦nicorn鈥�: The incoming chief will also need to balance demands for global equity with fiscal reform鈥攁ll while trying to meet 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and prepare for potential pandemics in a post-COVID landscape.      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 Mexico Risks Losing Its Measles-Free Status, Months Before Millions Arrive for World Cup 鈥�     Doctors bear the burden as 鈥榤edical freedom鈥� fuels worst US measles outbreak in 30 years 鈥�      Investment in Malaria Venture Yields 13x Health Benefits 鈥�      Indian Health Service to phase out use of dental fillings containing mercury by 2027 鈥�     As More Schools Turn to AI Weapons Detection, Questions Persist 鈥�  
As US presence wanes, China works to increase its influence through foreign aid 鈥�  
The Karate Class Where Kenya鈥檚 Grandmothers Learn to Fight Back 鈥�   Issue No. 2865
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