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96 Global Health NOW: New Insights into Cancer Prevention; and Could Fish Farming Help Fight Schistosomiasis February 4, 2026 TOP STORIES Serious side effects and high cost have hindered the rollout of the first chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ, produced by French manufacturer Valneva, and shifted focus to a newer vaccine, Vimkunya, produced by Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic, which is expected to be safer for vulnerable groups.     Long COVID in children will be studied more closely in three clinical trials launching this year, including the largest pediatric long COVID trial to date鈥攚hich will recruit 1,300 children, teens, and young adults for a randomized placebo-controlled trial of low-dose naltrexone to treat fatigue.  /     The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has recommended that surgeons delay 鈥済ender-related breast/chest, genital, and facial surgery鈥� until a patient is 19 years old, , saying that there is 鈥渓ow certainty鈥� in the risk-benefit ratio for such surgical interventions for children and adolescents.     The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unveiled a $100 million pilot program to address homelessness and addiction in eight cities this week, including expanded funding for faith-based substance use treatment.   IN FOCUS: WORLD CANCER DAY A health worker administers an HPV vaccine to a girl during a HPV vaccination drive against cervical cancer in Karachi, Pakistan. September 24, 2025. Rizwan Tabassum/AFP via Getty New Insights into Cancer Prevention    Nearly 4 in 10 cancer cases worldwide are potentially preventable,  ahead of World Cancer Day today, .     What that means: ~7.1 million cancer cases in 2022 were linked to preventable causes per the analysis by the WHO and its International Agency for Research on Cancer, which looked at dozens of cancer types in ~200 countries and considered 30 modifiable risk factors including tobacco, alcohol, air pollution, and occupational exposure to toxins, .      Leading risk factors: Tobacco smoking was the leading contributor to cases (15%), followed by infections like HPV (10%) and alcohol (3%).     Zooming in: Preventable cancers were more common in men (45%) than women (30%), .  

• In men, smoking was the leading risk factor, accounting for ~25% of the 4.3 million preventable cancer cases, and was the leading cause of cancer in men living in both low- and high-income regions.  

• In women, infections such as HPV were leading drivers, especially in low- and middle-income regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa.  

Key takeaways: Tailoring interventions鈥攍ike tobacco control or vaccination campaigns鈥攖o regional risk patterns could significantly cut global cancer rates, which have been projected to rise 50%+ by 2045, . 

• 鈥淎ddressing these preventable causes represents one of the most powerful opportunities to reduce the global cancer burden,鈥� senior study author Isabelle Soerjomataram told the BBC. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES NEGLECTED DISEASES Fish Farming to Help Fight Schistosomiasis?   Researchers are testing a new approach to curb the parasitic disease schistosomiasis through a new intervention: snail-eating fish.     Background: Each year, 250 million+ people globally are treated for schistosomiasis, a disease transmitted through water contaminated by a parasite carried by snails. 

• In places like Senegal, rice farmers are especially vulnerable, as they work in flooded fields where snails thrive.  

Sustainable solution? A pilot project led by Stanford University researchers will help rice farmers integrate native African catfish aquaculture as a potential way to curb the snail population.  

• The hope is that catfish will help with snail control鈥攁nd provide an added food source.  

  OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS 鈥楤iblical Diseases鈥� Could Resurge in Africa, Health Officials Fear 鈥� 

A Year of Disruption: 5 Resources to Understand Foreign Aid Cuts 鈥� 

'Efficacy will be secondary': RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisers have a new mission 鈥� 

US government concerns over key vaccine ingredient are not based on science 鈥�

Nigerian women and contraceptives: study finds big gaps between the haves and the have-nots 鈥� 

Why scientists are so excited about a nasal spray vaccine for bird flu 鈥�     The Secret Weapon in Canada鈥檚 Sewers: As America takes an axe to its health data, expanding wastewater surveillance could save lives 鈥�     鈥楥lean air should not be a privilege鈥�: how Bogot谩 is tackling air pollution in its poorest areas 鈥�   Issue No. 2858
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: 9 Million Deaths May Follow Aid Cuts Plus: Egypt鈥檚 Child Health Gains Jeopardized February 3, 2026 TOP STORIES Ultra-processed foods are more similar to cigarettes than other foods and should be regulated as such, according to  that highlights how both products encourage addiction and are marketed to maximize consumption.  

Young people in Ontario are being diagnosed with psychotic disorders more frequently compared to their older peers, according to a  from the Canadian province; studies from and have identified a similar trend.

An emerging bat-borne virus, Pteropine orthoreovirus, was discovered in stored throat swabs and viral cultures of five patients thought to be infected with Nipah virus, ; the patients, hospitalized from December 2022 to March 2023, had eaten raw date palm sap, a route of NiV spillover. 

Lead exposure among a small group of people in Utah is 100X lower today than in the 1960s, ; researchers relied partly on an unconventional source: hair clippings from 100-year-old scrapbooks.  IN FOCUS Pharmacist Joseph Njer Airo inspects boxes of antiretroviral drugs labeled "USAID," at Migosi Sub-county Hospital, in Kisumu, Kenya, on April 24, 2025. Michel Lunanga/Getty Images 9 Million Deaths May Follow Aid Cuts 
If current trends in global health funding cuts continue, 9.4 million excess deaths will occur by 2030,  published in The Lancet Global Health yesterday. That鈥檚 the 鈥渕ild鈥� scenario. 

Worst case: A 鈥渟evere鈥� scenario based on even greater funding cuts would lead to 22.6 million additional deaths by 2030, per Barcelona Institute for Global Health researchers and colleagues. 

What鈥檚 at stake? HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as hunger, may resurge across the globe, .  

• 鈥淚t is the dismantling of an architecture that took 80 years to build,鈥� said Rockefeller Foundation President and former USAID chief Rajiv Shah. 鈥淭he scale of the cuts and the scale of the reduction far outstrip the scale of philanthropy to step in and solve the problem.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Flashback: Development assistance was associated with declines of 70% in HIV/AIDS, 56% for malaria, and 56% for nutritional deficiencies from 2002 to 2021, per the study. 

Meanwhile in Geneva: Despite funding cuts, the WHO has 85% of funds needed for its current biennium budget, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the 158th Executive Board meeting, .
 

Related: 

This global health leader praises Trump's aid plan 鈥� and gears up to beat malaria 鈥� 

Days After US Leaves WHO, Israel Warns it Faces Pressure to Withdraw 鈥� 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CHILD MORTALITY  Egypt鈥檚 Child Health Gains Jeopardized 
Egypt made major strides in children鈥檚 health outcomes in the last three decades鈥攃utting child mortality from 108 deaths per 1,000 children under 5 in 1988, to 26 deaths per 1,000 in 2024 through policies including:  

• School-based insurance that helped families access medical care and medicine.  

• Vaccine coverage, especially for polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, and measles.  

• Widespread hepatitis C screening.  

But that progress is threatened as economic turmoil and post-pandemic fallout lead to care setbacks, including: 

• A physician exodus, with ~18,000 doctors resigning since 2019 due to low pay.  

• Hospital bed shortages. 

• Pandemic disruptions in maternal care, which led to a spike in C-sections and prematurity.  

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 Six years after COVID-19鈥檚 global alarm: Is the world better prepared for the next pandemic? 鈥�     Synthetic compound targets malaria at multiple stages to prevent its transmission 鈥�   
  Indonesia Delays Sugary Drink Taxes, Yet Again 鈥�  
Eye Protection for Tear Gas and other Hazards: A Protest Safety Guide 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!    2 or more alcoholic drinks a day linked to 91% higher colorectal cancer risk 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Xiadong Cai!     Why scientists are so excited about a nasal spray vaccine for bird flu 鈥�   Issue No. 2857
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: Measles Strengthens Its U.S. Foothold; and Pregnant, Breastfeeding, and Detained by ICE February 2, 2026 TOP STORIES The 10 Guinea worm infection cases reported last year鈥撯赌揷onfined to three countries: Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan鈥撯赌搈ark a historic low and a 33% decline from 2024鈥檚 15 cases.     An autism advisory panel to the U.S. government has been overhauled by HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who replaced members of the panel with outspoken activists who say vaccines are linked to autism.     Pancreatic tumors were eliminated in mice through a triple combination therapy administered , which found that the therapy prevented tumor recurrence and may point the way to new clinical trials for treating pancreatic cancer.     Severe acute pancreatitis has been linked with GLP-1 injections, a UK medication regulator has warned; while the risk is small, the guidance was updated after 1,143 cases of acute and chronic pancreatitis were reported in 2025 among patients taking semaglutide or tirzepatide.   IN FOCUS Parkside Pediatrics providers Chandler Hash (left) and Nathan Heffington assess a patient with measles symptoms in Spartanburg, SC, on January 30. The Washington Post via Getty Measles Strengthens Its U.S. Foothold    U.S. doctors are learning to recognize a disease most have encountered only in textbooks as measles strengthens its grip nationwide鈥攊ncluding in South Carolina, which is now home to the largest U.S. measles outbreak since the disease was eliminated 25+ years ago, .     South Carolina鈥檚 outbreak has surpassed the case count of last year鈥檚 outbreak in West Texas and now includes 840+ infections鈥攎ostly among unvaccinated children and adults in the Spartanburg area. Hundreds have quarantined for weeks, and ~19 have been hospitalized, .     Wider U.S. risks: The outbreak has already seeded cases in states as close as North Carolina and as far away as Washington鈥攃ontributing to 500+ U.S. cases in January alone, and imperiling the country鈥檚 measles-free status as plunging vaccination rates create pockets where the virus can rapidly spread.  

• 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see a clear end to this,鈥� said epidemiologist Scott Thorpe, who runs the nonprofit Southern Alliance for Public Health Leadership. 

Outbreak at ICE detention center: Meanwhile, in Texas, 鈥渁ll movement鈥� has been halted at an ICE detention facility for families in Dilley after two measles infections were confirmed, .  

• The facility, which holds about ~1,200 people, including 400+ children, has already been scrutinized for its medical care of detained families, including a child hospitalized after symptoms of appendicitis went undiagnosed, 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES Related: Violations of medical neutrality during protests in Iran 鈥�   HUMAN RIGHTS Pregnant, Breastfeeding, and Detained by ICE    An increasing number of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women are among those detained in ICE detention facilities, which are unequipped to provide them with adequate care, say lawmakers and immigration rights activists.      One case: Cecil Elvir-Quinonez, a mother of two who came to the U.S. as a child, learned of her third pregnancy while in custody in a Louisiana facility.  

• She has not had routine prenatal care, despite complications that include heavy bleeding, advocates say. And one of her children was still breastfeeding. 

• 鈥淭he fact that parents aren鈥檛 with the kids, that she鈥檚 breastfeeding an infant, pregnant and having complications鈥攖hose kinds of things are not being looked at or considered as relevant鈥攊t鈥檚 inhumane from my perspective,鈥� said immigration lawyer Kerry Doyle.  

    Related: Children with disabilities particularly vulnerable to Minneapolis ICE crackdown 鈥�   OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS 鈥榊ou take what you can and run鈥�: families describe harrowing journey to escape fighting in DRC 鈥� 
  Michelle A. Williams: The EPA just erased a century of public health progress 鈥�

EU sets toxin limit amid global infant formula recalls 鈥�     2 or more alcoholic drinks a day linked to 91% higher colorectal cancer risk 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Xiaodong Cai!

Converging global crises and the re-emergence of neglected tropical diseases: the case of noma 鈥�      David Wallace-Wells: The Real Reason MAHA Hates Vaccines 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Dave Cundiff!     It鈥檚 freezing cold and you鈥檝e lost power. Here鈥檚 what emergency doctors want you to do 鈥�      Helping with grandkids may slow cognitive decline 鈥�  Issue No. 2856
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: Reproductive Care Collapses in Afghanistan Plus: Time to Chart a New Path to Africa鈥檚 Malaria-Free Future January 29, 2026 TOP STORIES Malaria deaths could spike to half a million across Africa over the next 25 years due to climate change, 鈥攚hich finds that shifting and extreme weather patterns could lead to an additional 123 million malaria cases across the continent.     Two animal-borne pathogens pose a growing threat to humans, warns a new ; the viruses, influenza D virus and canine coronavirus, have been 鈥渇lying under the radar,鈥� but conditions are shifting that have improved their capacity to spread among humans, researchers say.     HPV screening rates among underserved groups in Australia were 鈥渟ubstantially boosted鈥� through cervical sample self-collection programs, ; participation was especially high among women who were 10+ years overdue for screening and those living in very remote areas.     Twice-yearly PrEP is slowly becoming more accessible to people in the U.S., as insurers gradually agree to cover the high-cost drug, Yeztugo鈥攁n injection of the drug lenacapavir.  IN FOCUS Farida, 30, a midwife, monitors pregnant women close to delivering, at the provincial hospital's maternity department, on August 27, 2025, in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Elise Blanchard/Getty Images Reproductive Care Collapses in Afghanistan 
Women in Afghanistan increasingly have nowhere to turn to prevent pregnancies or find basic prenatal services, as the country鈥檚 reproductive care system deteriorates under the Taliban.     Birth control banned: The  started in 2023, with contraceptives swiftly disappearing from shelves and doctors forbidden from dispensing them鈥攅ven for women whose lives could be threatened by pregnancy.     Clinic closed: Clinics accused of violating the Taliban鈥檚 orders face risk of closure; doctors have also been forced to close their doors after the sudden drop in international aid last year. 

• 440+ hospitals and clinics have closed or reduced services in Afghanistan in the last year, . 

• Since then, women have been left largely to fend for themselves, with minimal to no prenatal care amid risky pregnancies, complications, and miscarriages.  

Dangers at home: Meanwhile, medical workers say most of the pregnant women they see are malnourished, and many women miscarry because of domestic violence and overwork.     The quote: 鈥淭hey broke her with fear, pregnancies and violence,鈥� said the mother of one 36-year-old woman who has slipped into a "permanent state of confusion鈥� after nine pregnancies and six miscarriages.     GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY Faith, 3, vaccinated in the world's first malaria vaccine (RTS, S) pilot program, plays at home in Mukuli, Kenya, on March 7, 2023. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images Time to Chart a New Path to Africa鈥檚 Malaria-Free Future
As wealthy countries cut assistance and malaria surges in parts of Africa, the continent鈥檚 leaders must chart a new path to a malaria-free future, write Corine Karema, Francine Ntoumi, and Garry Aslanyan . 

• The recent dramatic reduction in aid is disrupting core activities like disease surveillance, supply chains for medicines, and delivery of care.   

A leadership moment: Africa needs to invest more of its own resources. Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda are taking steps to increase their health budgets. It鈥檚 time to accelerate those gains, the authors argue.      奥丑补迟鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;苍别别诲别诲:&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

• All governments where malaria is endemic should have national elimination plans. 

• African institutions should set priorities, align partners around national plans, and demand accountability for results.  

• The African Union and other organizations can help coordinate efforts at the regional level, keeping malaria high on the political agenda. 

• Malaria programs need to engage other programs鈥攍ike routine immunization, antenatal care, and community outreach鈥攖o get the newly approved malaria vaccines RTS,S and R21/ Matrix鈥揗 to people.   

The takeaway: Eliminating malaria can become, they write, a defining story of African leadership that safeguards lives for generations.
  OPPORTUNITY Wellbeing With AI: What's Possible? 
Join the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Mental Health for an urgent discussion on the risks, benefits, and practical applications of AI in mental health care. Laura Reiley, whose , will share her story. 

She will be joined by Thomas Insel, who formerly served as director of the National Institute of Mental Health and more recently led the Mental Health team at Verily (formerly known as Google Life Sciences), and Holly Wilcox, director and founder of the Johns Hopkins Center for Suicide Prevention.

The livestream of the event is open to the public, but registration is required. You will receive a link to the livestream with your registration confirmation.

• Monday, February 2, 2026, 12 p.m.鈥�1:30 p.m. EST

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Talk About the Weather
Year after year, epic snowstorms prove that behind every winter weather report is a comedian waiting in the wings. This week was no different across the U.S., with reporters and officials resorting to jokes and light shaming to keep people indoors.     A sampling:     鈥淥PERATION BREAD AND MILK:鈥� The  to chill out on hoarding supplies. 鈥淲e鈥檝e already seen the frantic look in your eyes,鈥� they wrote. 鈥淵ou are 鈥� not launching a three-year mission to Mars.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;    鈥淧ark it on the couch,鈥� Kansas City, Missouri. The local fire department 鈥攐r people trying to squeeze in a mani-pedi: 鈥� Hush Jessica.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;    These gems are important reminders of iconic past weather reports:     An anchorman鈥檚 鈥�.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;A reporter delivered breaking updates using a rubber chicken for reference, and struggled to make a snow angel. 鈥淚s it great snowman snow? No, man, no.鈥� Cincinnati, Ohio, 2025    鈥淗onestly the hardest I鈥檝e ever worked.鈥� A  named Big Papi. Manchester, New Hampshire, 2022     鈥淥h, boy.鈥� Less forecast, more Shakespearean monologue. A local weatherman warned that our 鈥溾�� Baltimore, Maryland, 2010   QUICK HITS Radical changes could be coming to 鈥榩sychiatry鈥檚 bible鈥� 鈥�   
 
Risk of maternal death during pregnancy greatly underestimated, study finds 鈥�  
 
鈥楻ise in insecurity, hostile environment affecting NTDs programme鈥� 鈥�  
 
Tanzania Among Seven Countries Included in the New Network to Strengthen Collaborative Disease Surveillance 鈥�  
 
On Public Health and Human Rights in Minneapolis 鈥�  
 
Eating snow cones or snow cream can be a winter delight, if done safely 鈥�  Issue No. 2855
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: Grasping for Hope as Haiti Unravels; and Volunteer Vector Control in Bangladesh January 28, 2026 TOP STORIES The U.S. maternal syphilis rate spiked 28% from 2022 to 2024, ; the latest uptick is part of a worsening trend that has involved a 200%+ rise in maternal syphilis over the past decade, which is leading to a surge of congenital syphilis in infants.     The Trump administration has directed Gavi to eliminate vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal as a precondition for continued funding; anti-vaccine groups have claimed that thimerosal causes autism, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.  
Humanity鈥檚 risk of self-annihilation is closer than ever, say scientists who set the symbolic 鈥淒oomsday Clock鈥� to 85 seconds to catastrophe yesterday鈥攏oting existential threats including nuclear war, climate change, risks of artificial intelligence, and biological disaster.     The WHO has issued global guidance for school lunches鈥攍imiting sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, while expanding pulses and whole grains; the agency says it will provide technical assistance to support countries in meeting the goal.   IN FOCUS A person walks past cars burned and used as a barricade by armed gangs during clashes last week with Haitian security forces in Port-au-Prince. January 16. Clarens Siffroy/AFP via Getty Grasping for Hope as Haiti Unravels     Violence continues to roil Haiti as powerful gangs clash with state police鈥攄isplacing civilians, gutting health care, and precipitating an ongoing exodus of foreign aid that the country has long depended on. 
  Continued escalation: 100+ violence victims have been treated in Port-au-Prince in just two weeks, 鈥攐ne of the few groups still providing medical care amid attacks from gangs, which control ~90% of the capital and have displaced more than 1.4 million people. 

• In 2025, 686 patients with violence-related injuries were admitted to MSF鈥檚 Tabarre Hospital. 47 were children under 14. 

Foreign aid falters: Dwindling aid has deepened the country鈥檚 security crises, including USAID cuts last year that canceled vital water restoration and earthquake reconstruction projects. 

• The aid exodus has also revealed the scale of national institutions鈥� dependence on foreign aid鈥攕omething local leaders say must change, .

Local resilience: As international aid retreats, small-scale solutions and interventions are cropping up, including grassroots water infrastructure projects and a gang rehabilitation and job training center known as Haiti Teen Challenge.     No safe haven in the U.S.: Temporary Protective Status for Haitians is set to expire on Feb. 3, endangering ~350,000 Haitians鈥� U.S. legal status and livelihoods in the country, .   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES Volunteer Vector Control in Bangladesh    In Bangladesh, thousands of volunteers are taking mosquito control into their own hands, organizing weekly cleanups to collect trash from city streets and clear polluted waterways.     Background: Amid rapid population growth in cities like Dhaka, waterway pollution has increased and daily waste piles up. 

• The trash, combined with rainier, hotter weather, creates ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes. 

Grassroots response: A youth-led clean-up movement, Bangladesh Clean, was formed 10 years ago. The group has now grown to 50,000+ volunteers.  

• 鈥淲e are trying to change people鈥檚 mindset,鈥� said university student Umme Kulsum Siddiki Brishti.  

  OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS South Carolina Is America鈥檚 New Measles Norm 鈥�    After Donations, Trump Administration Revoked Rule Requiring More Nursing Home Staff 鈥�     Antibiotic use in US meat production jumped 16% in 2024, report shows 鈥�     How 鈥榞as station drugs鈥� remain legal 鈥�      Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it 鈥�     What the Rise of AI Scientists May Mean for Human Research 鈥�     What 鈥楾he Office鈥� and other TV shows get wrong about CPR 鈥�   Issue No. 2854
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: Measles Marches Across Europe; Tributes to William Foege; and Classifying Postpartum Psychosis January 27, 2026 TOP STORIES

Mozambique鈥檚 worst floods in decades are sparking fears of cholera and other threats; several people have been killed by crocodiles roaming waterlogged neighborhoods and 300,000+ have fled their homes. 

Airports in Thailand, Nepal, Taiwan and other Asian countries are stepping up health-screening measures after the confirmation of five Nipah virus cases in India鈥檚 West Bengal state, where ~100 people are quarantined following detection of the virus in a hospital last week. 

The prevalence of two proteins connected to inflammation and stress supports the 鈥渨eathering hypothesis鈥� that systemic racism accounts for much of the difference between the average life expectancy of Black and white adults, per a new study published in . 

Australia is enduring a brutal heat wave as temperatures near 50C (122F) in parts of the country today; no deaths have been reported, though three wildfires are burning in Victoria. 

IN FOCUS Luke Tanner, 7, receives the combined Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination at Neath Port Talbot Hospital. South Wales, April 20, 2013. Geoff Caddick/AFP via Getty Measles Marches Across Europe    Six European countries officially lost their measles-free status鈥攁nd the U.S. is poised to follow鈥攁s the highly contagious virus resurges. 

• The WHO called for increased vaccination rates in the U.K., Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, the countries removed from the list of measles-free countries, . 

• European countries reported 127,000+ measles cases last year鈥攖he highest number since 1997, . 

What鈥檚 behind measles in the U.K.? It鈥檚 not just vaccine hesitancy. Difficulty accessing general practitioners, especially in dense urban areas, is a significant problem.  
  Meanwhile in the U.S.: The 2,400+ cases in the last year are the 鈥渃ost of doing business鈥� in a free country that has lots of global travelers, CDC principal deputy director Ralph Abraham told reporters last week, . 

• 鈥淲e have these communities that choose to be unvaccinated,鈥� Abraham said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 their personal freedom.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

• The measles-free status of the U.S. depends on proof that the virus 鈥渉as not circulated continuously in the nation for a year, between Jan. 20, 2025, and Jan. 20, 2026,鈥� Undark reports. Scientists are reviewing South Carolina, Utah, Arizona, and Texas outbreaks to determine if they are linked.   

• The research will be completed in approximately two months. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES: RIP BILL FOEGE More Tributes: 鈥� 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌� 鈥淲e lost a giant in public health today 鈥� His legacy is the antidote to today鈥檚 antiscience, anti-vaccine rhetoric.鈥� 鈥� 鈥撯赌搒haring William H. Foege, Key Figure in the Eradication of Smallpox, Dies at 89 鈥�

鈥� 鈥�if I remain in India, too much attention would be directed toward the external support that India received, and it is very important that recognition be given to the accomplishments of the hundreds of thousands of Indians who really did the work.鈥� 鈥�鈥撯赌揊oege on his decision to leave India after the country was certified to be free of smallpox, recounted in Madhukar Pai鈥檚 tribute: William H. Foege, Key Figure in the Eradication of Smallpox, Dies at 89 鈥�
鈥淚f you look at the simple metric of who has saved the most lives, he is right up there with the pantheon. Smallpox eradication has prevented hundreds of millions of deaths.鈥� 鈥撯赌�Tom Frieden, quoted in Leader in smallpox eradication, Dr. William Foege, dies at 89 鈥� MATERNAL HEALTH Classifying Postpartum Psychosis    As awareness of postpartum psychosis grows, U.S. psychiatrists are debating where the condition might fit into the DSM鈥攑sychiatry鈥檚 core diagnostic manual.    Background: Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric disorder occurring in 1鈥�2 out of 1,000 births. Weeks after delivery, symptoms of the disorder in new mothers鈥攊ncluding those with no history of mental illness鈥攃an include paranoia or delusions. In the worst cases, it can lead to suicide or infanticide.    The debate: Advocates say a stand-alone DSM category would improve doctor training, research, and courts鈥� handling of such cases. 

• But experts can鈥檛 agree where in the manual the condition fits鈥攂ipolar, depressive, or psychotic disorder鈥攁nd they fear a flawed definition could lead to misguided treatment or coercive interventions. 

 Thanks for the tip, Peri Barest!    SPONSORED Cells to Society: The Building Blocks of a Public Health Career
Explore public health at your own pace with the first four courses in a series of 12 non-credit learning experiences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Designed for those interested in public health careers, these flexible courses build foundational knowledge in key areas and deepen professional skillsets.
QUICK HITS Ethiopia Declares End of Marburg Outbreak That Killed Nine 鈥�      Tobacco companies win 鈥� again 鈥� in South Korean lawsuit over costs to treat sick smokers 鈥�     Russia Cuts Its Disability Count As War Against Ukraine Wounds Hundreds of Thousands 鈥�     Rejecting Decades of Science, Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional 鈥�     CDC Restores $5 Billion in Public Health Grants After 24-Hour Pause 鈥�  

Has the golden age of global health ended? The health takeaways from Davos 2026 鈥�     Ancient DNA Reveals Twisted Roots of Syphilis Go Back 5,500 Years 鈥�   Issue No. 2853
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 January 26, 2026 Edmund Lowe Photography / Getty Creative 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. 2852
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 U.S. Has Left the WHO. What Now? January 22, 2026 TOP STORIES An 鈥榚ra of global water bankruptcy鈥� is now in effect, with irreversible consequences that mean 鈥渕any regions are living beyond their hydrological means,鈥�  that calls for a shift from emergency thinking to long-term response and restructuring.  
 
Cardiovascular disease fatalities dropped in the U.S. by 2.7% between 2022 and 2023, 鈥攂ut heart disease and stroke are still the nation鈥檚 leading cause of death, accounting for more than a quarter of all deaths in the U.S. in 2023.   
 
An infant formula recall affecting 18 countries has been issued by French dairy company Lactalis after some batches were flagged for a dangerous toxin; the recall marks the third major infant formula recall this year following other contamination incidents from Nestl茅 and Danone.  
 
Maternal genetic factors may shed new light on common factors behind pregnancy loss, , which analyzed ~140,000 IVF embryos and found links between specific variations in a mother's DNA and their risk of miscarriage.    IN FOCUS A sign with the WHO logo outside their headquarters in Geneva, on August 17, 2020. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images The U.S. Has Left the WHO
The U.S. formally leaves the WHO today, completing a yearlong withdrawal process begun on President Trump鈥檚 first day in office in 2025, and leaving a budgetary crisis and ruptured global health security in its wake, .   
 
Global fallout: The loss of the U.S.鈥攐nce the WHO鈥檚 largest donor鈥攈as led the agency to make deep budget cuts and plan layoffs for nearly a quarter of its staff. 

• These losses, combined with the loss of U.S. cooperation, leaves the world less equipped to handle worldwide disease detection, response coordination, and intelligence sharing鈥攃rucial collaborations during recent global health crises like COVID-19 and the Ebola outbreak. 

Unpaid bills: As the U.S. departs, it is stiffing the organization ~$278 million in owed dues from both 2025 and from 2024鈥攂efore Trump took office, . The lapsed payments defy a 1948 U.S. law that likely will not be enforced. 
 
A path to return?: While global health leaders say they do not anticipate a U.S. return to the organization in the near future,  that some WHO reforms, including results-based accountability, could eventually lure the U.S. back.  
  
Related: Maga-backed researchers call for WHO to be 鈥榬eformed or replaced鈥� on eve of US withdrawal 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ZOONOTIC DISEASES Pangolins and Pandemic Risk  
Pangolins are one of the most trafficked animals in the world, as demand for their scales and meat remains high in places like Laos鈥攁 major hub of illegal wildlife trade.     Rampant trafficking threatens the mammal with extinction and poses a global health security threat, say epidemiologists.  

• Pangolins' unique immune tolerance allows them to host pathogens undetected, and the animals鈥� long captivity with other species and humans in unsanitary spaces creates a risk for spillover.  

The Quote: 鈥淭o me, this really is ground zero for disease emergence,鈥� said University of Sydney virologist Edward Holmes, who described the trade as 鈥渂oth horrendous for the animals in question, and could easily spark another pandemic.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;   ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Should We All Just L眉ften Up? 
Flinging the windows open for some fresh air: It鈥檚 an invigorating feeling now and again.  

In Germany, it鈥檚 much more than that. The practice of multiple daily airings鈥攏o matter the weather鈥攊s ingrained from childhood and for tenants, often a contractual obligation.  

尝眉蹿迟别苍-濒颈迟别: But now, much to some Germans鈥� chagrin, American influencers have co-opted l眉ften under a new name: 鈥渉ouse burping,鈥� presenting it . A refreshing home hack, with no threat of eviction for noncompliance鈥攐r warning that over-commitment may ruin your relationship. 

Breeze-crossed lovers: For one German-American couple, the partner doing the heavy l眉ften-ing invited in cold air, chilly feelings, and one time, three bats, . His practice, which exceeded the l眉ften minimums required by his lease, left his American girlfriend cold and 鈥渃onfused,鈥� and their love went out the open window like stale air caught in a crossbreeze. 鈥淟眉ften is largely responsible for the fact that they鈥檙e no longer together.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

QUICK HITS The US is on the verge of losing its measles elimination status. Here鈥檚 why that matters 鈥�  

Dozens Are Sickened by a Rare Fungal Infection in Tennessee 鈥�  

Study highlights impact of gender dynamics on antibiotic use 鈥�   

Vitamin D can help protect you against the flu, study suggests 鈥� 

ActionAid to rethink child sponsorship as part of plan to 鈥榙ecolonise鈥� its work 鈥� 

Can your health records be sold for profit? A lawsuit says it鈥檚 happening. 鈥�   
Trees 鈥� not grass and other greenery 鈥� associated with lower heart disease risk in cities 鈥�   

Global buzzwords that will be buzzing in your ear in 2026 鈥�  Issue No. 2851
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: Mpox鈥檚 Silent Spread; and U.K. Seeks a Road Safety Overhaul January 21, 2026 TOP STORIES U.S. lawmakers are pushing back against NIH cuts proposed by the Trump administration with a new Congressional bill that rejects a proposed 40% cut to the NIH budget and instead includes a $415 million increase and language that limits White House influence over grant funding.   
 
The Africa CDC confirmed the cancelation yesterday of a U.S.-funded study on hepatitis B vaccines involving newborns in Guinea-Bissau, citing ethical concerns over the proposed research design鈥攑articularly the possibility of delaying access to a lifesaving vaccine for some newborn participants.  
 
Prenatal exposure to wildfire smoke may be associated with an increased likelihood of autism diagnosis by age 5, ; the strongest association was found among those exposed to more than 10 days of wildfire smoke in the third trimester.  
 
A coalition of U.S. health groups has expanded a lawsuit against HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., challenging his agency鈥檚 鈥渆gregious, reckless, and dangerous鈥� changes to the childhood vaccine schedule; the plaintiffs鈥攚hich include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and the American Public Health Association鈥攈ad already sued over the agency鈥檚 changes to COVID-19 vaccine policy.   IN FOCUS Social mobilizers wait for community members ahead of the launch of an mpox vaccination campaign at the General Hospital in Goma, DRC. October 5, 2024. Aubin Mukoni/AFP via Getty Mpox鈥檚 Silent Spread
Mpox may be spreading asymptomatically in parts of Africa, new research shows鈥攁 revelation that could have significant implications for understanding and preventing transmission, .  
 
Researchers analyzed new and historic blood samples from 176 Nigerian adults with no known mpox exposure and discovered something unexpected: ~3% had developed new mpox antibodies over nine months鈥攊ndicating recent infection, , which was conducted by scientists at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria.  

• The research points not to 鈥渆xplosive spread鈥濃�攂ut rather to persistent transmission via 鈥渟poradic chains of infection鈥� shaped and potentially contained by past smallpox vaccination, .  

• The study also found no major differences in immune responses between health care workers and the general population鈥攎eaning exposure isn鈥檛 limited to medical settings, .  

Potential public health impact: The insights could reshape surveillance and prevention, especially in mpox-endemic regions where blood tests could better reveal exposure and help target vaccination efforts rather than relying on symptoms alone. 

• 鈥淚f we only look for obvious disease, we will miss part of the picture,鈥� said Alash'le Abimiku, executive director of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ROAD SAFETY U.K. Seeks a Road Safety Overhaul
U.K. officials have unveiled the country鈥檚 first comprehensive road safety strategy in over a decade, aiming to cut road deaths and serious injuries by 65% by 2035. 
 
Background: Advocates and officials say the reforms come after years of inaction, as the country falls further behind European road standards. 

• 鈥淔or too long, progress on road safety has stalled. This strategy marks a turning point,鈥� said U.K. transport secretary Heidi Alexander.  

Plans include:  

• Stricter alcohol limits and higher penalties for violators. 

• Mandatory eye tests for drivers ages 70+. 

• Longer learning periods for new drivers. 

• Automatic emergency braking in all new cars. 

• Increased penalties for uninsured motorists and those not wearing seatbelts. 

• Improved crash testing.

QUICK HITS The divorce between the U.S. and WHO is final this week. Or is it? 鈥�     Doctors in Minnesota decry fear and chaos amid Trump administration鈥檚 immigration crackdown 鈥�      One Year Later: The Effect of US 鈥楥hainsaw鈥� on Global Health 鈥�      New report reveals shocking prevalence of illegal children鈥檚 homes 鈥�      Pharmacists' Risk of Suicide Higher Than the General Public 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!     The activists taking on Brazil鈥檚 femicide crisis 鈥� via social media 鈥�      What lingers in 鈥楾he Pitt鈥� is heartache. What鈥檚 missing is outrage 鈥�   Issue No. 2850
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 Bacterial Detective Battling Superbugs in Nigeria; and Historic Clues for a Modern Medical Mystery January 20, 2026 TOP STORIES Unusually heavy rains across Mozambique in the last few weeks have triggered a 鈥渞apidly escalating emergency鈥� affecting 513,000+ people鈥攐ver half of them children, who are at an especially high risk in disease outbreaks, given compromised access to safe water and preexisting high malnutrition rates.    
Chinese authorities are blocking online searches about the country's plunging births after official figures released yesterday showed the country's birth rate dipped to 5.63 per 1,000 last year鈥攖he lowest since the 1949 founding of the People's Republic.     A personalized experimental drug based on mRNA technology halved melanoma patients鈥� risk of recurrence or death after five years compared with patients treated only with immunotherapy, per Moderna.  
A new meta-analysis and systematic review of 43 studies concluded that taking Tylenol (also known as paracetamol) during pregnancy does not cause autism in children, ; the review follows President Trump鈥檚 warning against taking the medication during pregnancy.   IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE Iruka Okeke and her small team run a national surveillance project tracking antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria. Andrew Esiebo The Bacterial Detective Battling Superbugs in Nigeria    IBADAN, Nigeria鈥�Inside a crowded University of Ibadan lab, Iruka Okeke and her dozen students are running a national surveillance project for one of Nigeria's鈥攁nd Africa's鈥攎ost understudied problems: antimicrobial resistance (AMR).  

• More than 1 million deaths in the  were associated with bacterial AMR.  

• 鈥淎MR deaths threaten Africa鈥檚 future,鈥� says Okeke.      

Big ambitions: Okeke founded the Nigeria National Surveillance Unit at the University of Ibadan鈥檚 College of Medicine in 2022. 

• She and her team use whole genome sequencing and other tools to understand how microbes inherit and spread resistant traits.  

• They鈥檝e already investigated more than a dozen suspected outbreaks. 

• The lab鈥擭igeria鈥檚 first reference lab for AMR surveillance鈥攐btains samples from three sentinel hospitals in Ibadan and sequences pathogenic bacteria, sharing data with the Nigeria CDC. 

Daily challenges: Doing science in Nigeria with limited resources isn鈥檛 easy.  

• 鈥淭here are days I wake up, and I think, 鈥極h, gosh, there鈥檚 too many problems to solve鈥攍ike how are you going to keep the electricity uninterrupted?鈥欌�� Okeke says. 鈥淎nd then, there are days I wake up and think, 鈥業t鈥檚 amazing we鈥檙e doing this stuff that nobody else is doing.鈥欌��   

DATA POINT

980,000
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺��
The number of midwives needed across 181 countries鈥�90% of them LMICs; improved access could potentially save 4.3m lives a year by 2035, by the International Confederation of Midwives. 鈥�
  CANCER Historic Clues for a Modern Medical Mystery    U.K. scientists seeking to understand why colorectal cancer continues to rise sharply among young people are looking to hospital archives for leads.    The clues: A vast collection of century-old cancer samples stored at St. Mark鈥檚 Hospital in London.  

• The samples, which have been preserved in wax, are being sent to the Institute of Cancer Research for molecular tests that can identify DNA damage 鈥渟ignatures,鈥� revealing possible triggers.  

The stakes: Bowel cancer rates in the U.K. have spiked 75% among people under age 24 since the early 1990s鈥攎irroring a global phenomenon that still does not have a clear underlying cause.        Related: 

What science says about how weight-loss drugs affect cancer risk 鈥�  

Sugar Land resident advances global cancer research while still an undergrad 鈥�  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Napkins for bandages: How 11 doctors survived the siege of El Fasher 鈥�     The near death 鈥� and last-minute reprieve 鈥� of a trial for an HIV vaccine 鈥�     The Obituary Of The US Childhood Immunization Schedule 鈥�     Drug use disorders a growing public health concern in the Americas, PAHO study finds 鈥�      Public Views About Opioid Overdose and People With Opioid Use Disorder 鈥�     More than half of mpox patients in 2022 outbreak experienced lasting physical effects: Study 鈥�     Alzheimer's finger-prick test could help diagnosis 鈥�   Issue No. 2849
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 How Concerning Are Microplastics? The Jury Is Still Out. January 15, 2026 TOP STORIES Reproductive care in Gaza has faced widespread destruction, leading to limited access to medical facilities, severe malnutrition, and restrictions on humanitarian aid, and resulting in poor birth outcomes and death, and in 鈥渞eproductive violence in violation of international law,鈥�  by Physicians for Human Rights.  

Earth's average 2025 temperature was one of the three hottest on record, and the pattern of the past three years indicates that warming could be accelerating, international climate monitoring teams say.  

Vaccine exemptions among kindergarteners for religious or personal beliefs have risen steadily in counties throughout the U.S. since the COVID-19 pandemic, finds , which showed the median rate for such exemptions rising from 0.6% in 2010-2011 to 3.1% in 2023-2024.  

Mosquitoes are increasingly using humans as a blood source instead of wildlife as deforestation expands, 鈥攁 shift researchers say will continue to raise the potential for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.  EDITORS' NOTE No GHN Monday 

We will not be sending out the newsletter on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

We鈥檒l be back Tuesday with more news! 

IN FOCUS Plastic fragments on a person's fingers. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Microplastics Research Faces Tough Critiques 
Widely publicized studies claiming that microplastics are pervasive in human tissue and organs are being increasingly debated by scientists, some of whom argue that limits and flaws in the nascent research field may have led to distorted results, .     A young field: While researchers agree plastic pollution is ubiquitous and its impact on the body merits urgent study, there is no consensus on how the tiniest particles may infiltrate and impact the body, leaving the true risk鈥攁nd appropriate level of public concern鈥攁n open question. 

• Critics of recent papers say that microplastic and nanoplastic particles are so small they are at the limit of today鈥檚 analytical techniques and instruments.  

• Amid the rush to publish research, scientists say routine scientific checks have been missed, potentially leading to false positives, contamination, and weak lab controls.  

One example: In February,  about the accumulation of microplastics in brains.  

• But in November a group of scientists published  citing 鈥渕ethodological challenges.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;It is one of many studies being questioned for the same reason.  

A need for more, better studies: Amid the debate, scientists agree that research must continue and become more robust, especially as plastic production continues to boom, .  

• 鈥淲e do have plastics in us鈥擨 think that is safe to assume. But real hard proof on how much is yet to come,鈥� said Dusan Materic, one of the researchers who signed the letter to Nature. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES TUBERCULOSIS   Poland鈥檚 Transformed TB Response
When Poland saw a rapid influx of 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees in 2022, health officials were on high alert for drug-resistant tuberculosis, as Ukraine has one of the highest TB burdens in the world. 
 
But the crisis laid bare Poland鈥檚 own outdated tuberculosis response system, which involved long, isolated hospital stays and multiyear, often toxic, drug regimens.  
 
Rapid revitalization: Poland swiftly overhauled its care model, implementing a pilot program that included a six鈥憁onth course of an oral drug combination known as BPaL/M, which has far higher cure rates than Poland鈥檚 previous standard protocol of various drugs.

• The pilot inspired a new national TB program set to be implemented by 2030.  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Fly Like the Bin
This week in YOLO news: He wanted the fastest trash can on wheels, and he made it so.

Completing 鈥渓iterally the most rubbish project鈥� he鈥檇 ever worked on, U.K. inventor Michael Wallhead鈥檚 motorized bin鈥攌nown as the Great General Waste鈥攁ccelerated to an unprecedented 55mph, beating out the previous Guinness world record by 10mph.

The speeds are impressive, but we鈥檙e more interested in pun-ability. Suggested names included:

• Light-bin McQueen 

• Bin Diesel  

• Gone Bin 60 Seconds 

And that鈥檚 !  

One bin of contention: Wallhead demonstrated his warp-speed wheelie bin by riding in it. But we鈥檇 much rather it drag our trash to the curb without us going near it, let alone inside it. Please and thank you. QUICK HITS HHS terminates, then reinstates, thousands of grants for substance use, mental health 鈥�      Hundreds of laid-off researchers at US workplace safety center are being reinstated 鈥�     Medical groups will ask court to block new CDC vaccine recommendations 鈥�      25,000 TB Cases Unreported ... Ghana Risks Missing WHO Target - Dr Amenyo 鈥�     Should younger and older people receive different treatments for the same infection? 鈥�     Researchers uncover hundreds of emojis in patient records 鈥�   Issue No. 2848
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: U.S. Aid Cuts Threaten Progress Against AIDS Orphanhood; and America鈥檚 New 鈥楾rade for Aid鈥� Global Health Paradigm January 14, 2026 TOP STORIES 124 new measles cases have been confirmed in South Carolina since Friday鈥攊ncluding six fully vaccinated people鈥攂ringing the total infected to 434 since the start of the outbreak last September. 
  U.S. kidney donations from recently deceased people fell for the first time in over a decade last year鈥攆rom 15,937 in 2024 to 15,274, ; the decline follows heightened scrutiny of the transplant system that prompted thousands to remove themselves from U.S. organ donor registries.  
  Sugary drinks and alcohol are getting relatively cheaper, fueling diseases like diabetes and cancer, and prompting the WHO to call for tax increases on such products to stem consumption levels and allow countries to capture funds for health services.  
  Cancer survival rates have reached a major new milestone, as 70% people now survive five years+ after diagnosis of all cancers, ; in the 1970s, just half of those diagnosed survived that length of time.  IN FOCUS A client waits to be seen by a doctor during an HIV clinic day at TASO Mulago service center. Kampala, Uganda, February 17. Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty U.S. Aid Cuts Threaten Progress Against AIDS Orphanhood    Expanded access to HIV treatment and prevention has led to a major decline in AIDS-related orphanhood in sub-Saharan African countries like Uganda鈥攇ains that have been jeopardized by abrupt U.S. cuts to such programs, .     The research: A Uganda-based  found that scaling up antiretroviral therapy cut AIDS-related orphanhood in Rakai, Uganda, by ~70%鈥攆rom 21.5% in 2003 to 6.3% in 2022.    Still vulnerable: Despite this progress, ~10.3 million children in sub-Saharan Africa have already lost a parent to HIV.  

• And a high burden of orphanhood persisted in 2022鈥攕howing that 鈥渟ustained investment and adaptation鈥� of HIV programs is critical to prevent a new wave of orphanhood and instability.  

U.S. interruption: Researchers say sudden U.S. cuts to PEPFAR and related programs have the potential to leave another 2.8 million children orphaned. 

• And the U.S. is pulling back support for primary prevention tools鈥攁 move advocates called 鈥渢he most short-sighted policy imaginable.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Beyond Africa: Experts warn that weakening HIV control in Africa, where ~30 million people live with HIV, raises the risk of more infections worldwide: 鈥淎frica is not sealed off from the rest of the world,鈥� said Emory University HIV specialist Boghuma Titanji.     Turning to new tools: Amid the upheaval, countries are relying on new funding sources, including Unitaid鈥攚hich has agreed to support expanded access to the HIV prevention drug lenacapavir in South Africa and Zambia, CIDRAP noted, citing a STAT report.   DATA POINT

1 in 4
鈥斺赌斺赌�
UK teenagers in care, including foster, residential, and kinship care, have attempted suicide, and are 4X more likely to do so than their peers with no care experience,  per UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies researchers.
鈥�
  HEALTH POLICY America鈥檚 New 鈥楾rade for Aid鈥� Global Health Paradigm     As the U.S. negotiates new international aid deals with African governments, a new framework is taking shape鈥攚ith funding linked directly to trade and geopolitical goals.    The basics: The U.S. has pledged ~$16 billion and signed 14 deals with countries in recent weeks as part of the new 鈥淎merica First鈥� aid strategy. Agreements in the works include:  

• A $1.5 billion deal with Zambia that is reportedly contingent on mining access. 

• A $2.1 billion deal with Nigeria鈥攎ade with the condition that the country increase its own health spending and promote Christian faith-based health care providers.  

Rerouted funds: The new deals also cut out UN agencies and NGOs, sending money directly to governments.     And still: Overall U.S. aid remains ~50% below 2024 levels.        Related: 

Inside Trump's $11 billion health plan to replace 鈥渘eo-colonial鈥� USAID 鈥�  

KFF Tracker: America First MOU Bilateral Global Health Agreements - GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Cocoa, Child Labour and C么te d鈥橧voire: The Emerging Change 鈥�  
New RFK Jr. pick for vaccine panel: 鈥業 was not anti-vaccine. I am now.鈥� 鈥�     Lawsuit dismissed after Trump admin quietly restored tens of millions to Planned Parenthood 鈥�     Harvard Chan researchers win $100 million MacArthur grant for infectious disease surveillance system 鈥�     Sleeping less than 7 hours could cut years off your life 鈥� 

鈥業t鈥檚 not the 90s any more鈥�: the all-women team reinventing abortion advice for the TikTok age 鈥�   Issue No. 2847
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96 Global Health NOW: Frontline Genomics With AI; and Ghana鈥檚 Long Quest for the Hepatitis B Shot January 13, 2026 TOP STORIES Russia has opened a criminal investigation into the deaths of nine newborns this month in a Siberian maternity hospital in the city of Novokuznetsk, citing suspected negligence; an announcement on the hospital鈥檚 website says that admissions have been suspended because of an excess of respiratory infections.     Most COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy stems from surmountable concerns,  that followed 1.1 million+ people in England during the pandemic, from January 2021 to March 2022; Imperial College London researchers found that 65% of participants initially hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine went on to receive at least one shot.  
  U.S. Congress votes tomorrow on a bipartisan funding bill that includes $9.4 billion for global health鈥攎ore than 2X the amount the State Department requested鈥攁nd would restore funding for reproductive health and family planning, neglected diseases, and Gavi cut last year by the Trump administration.   
  A federal judge ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to restore nearly $12 million in American Academy of Pediatrics funding, citing evidence of a 鈥渞etaliatory motive鈥� in the termination of seven grants for public health programs, including rural health care and efforts to prevent sudden infant death.  IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE A West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens researcher runs a genome sequencer at their laboratory. Courtesy: WACCBIP Frontline Genomics With AI    New technology working in tandem with powerful AI-based software is eliminating the need to send samples for genomic sequencing to distant reference labs鈥攁nd wait a week for results. 

• Now, a rough bacterial genome can be sequenced in a hospital or clinic within hours, using a portable harmonica-size genome sequencer and AI. 

Need for speed: 鈥淒uring the 2014 Ebola outbreak, samples from Guinea had to be shipped to Paris for confirmation鈥攁 process that could take weeks,鈥� says Christian Happi, director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) in Nigeria. By using a portable genome sequencer, an ACEGID team was later able to confirm a suspected Ebola case in three days, saving 鈥渢housands of lives,鈥� Happi says. 

• Since then, ACEGID has sequenced Africa鈥檚 first SARS-CoV-2 genome within 48 hours of detection, trained thousands of African scientists, and helped national labs with real-time sequencing.  

Getting real: Scientists at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens in Ghana are helping to build Africa鈥檚 genomic capacity and designing tools for the realities of rural clinics.  

• The center has become a major hub for genome sequencing and bioinformatics training, supporting spoke labs in West and Central Africa to establish capacity for genomic surveillance. 

THE QUOTE
  鈥淲hat the world now calls 'calm' would be considered a crisis anywhere else.鈥� 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�� 鈥撯赌�UNICEF鈥檚 James Elder at
after noting that roughly one child has been killed
every day in Gaza since the ceasefire began in October. VACCINES Ghana鈥檚 Long Quest for the Hepatitis B Shot 
As the U.S. rolls back its long-established hepatitis B vaccination recommendation for newborns, doctors in Ghana are fighting for access to the shot.    ~1/10 people in Ghana live with chronic hepatitis B, with ~10,000 new infections reported each year.  

• While the country has a vaccine that can be administered to one-month-old babies, it has long sought access to vaccines for newborns鈥攚ho are most vulnerable to transmission. 

Delayed delivery: In 2024, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance agreed to help finance the vaccine鈥攂ut the planned rollout in 2025 never occurred. Health leaders say they are hopeful for access this year.       Related: New hepatitis B drug could help 鈥榝unctionally cure鈥� some patients 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Heart Failure Deaths Have Accelerated in US Since Covid Pandemic 鈥�     The U.S. models vaccine guidance after Denmark 鈥� but forgets the social safety net 鈥�      Germany Sharply Rejects RFK Jr.'s Claims That It Prosecutes Docs for Vax Exemptions 鈥�     Environmental 鈥淧rotection鈥� Agency to Stop Considering Health Impacts of Pollution 鈥�       MEP Liese pushes male contraception as abortion prevention 鈥�     F.D.A. Decisions on Abortion Pill Were Based on Science, New Analysis Finds 鈥�     They Couldn鈥檛 Access Mental Health Care When They Needed It. Now They鈥檙e Suing Their Insurer. 鈥�     This new crash test dummy could keep women safer in car accidents 鈥�   Issue No. 2846
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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96 Global Health NOW: Deadly Crackdown on Iran鈥檚 Intensifying Protests; and Drones Deliver Lifesaving Care in Ghana January 12, 2026 TOP STORIES Sudan is the world鈥檚 largest humanitarian emergency, UN agencies say, with the health system nearing collapse, 20 million+ people needing health assistance, and 21 million facing acute food insecurity; children bear the heaviest burden, making up more than half of the 33.7 million people expected to need humanitarian assistance in 2026.     A new single-dose oral cholera vaccine has shown promise 鈥攐ffering hope that more effective oral vaccines for the disease may be on the horizon.     Gambia鈥檚 FGM ban is being challenged by a group of religious and government leaders, who have launched an effort to overturn the ban at the country鈥檚 supreme court in a move women鈥檚 rights activists described as part of a wider 鈥渞egression on women鈥檚 rights.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;    Nearly 15,000 nurses in New York City began walking off their jobs at several major hospital systems today; they are striking to demand salary increases and continued protections against understaffing, and for their contracts to address artificial intelligence and workplace violence.   IN FOCUS People gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, on January 9. Khoshiran / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Deadly Crackdown on Iran鈥檚 Intensifying Protests    Health care workers across Iran are describing overwhelmed hospitals and morgues as protests are being met with a violent crackdown by government security forces, .  
Background: Protests that began in late December over economic collapse and political repression have now spread to all Iranian provinces. The government has responded with intensifying force, including an internet and phone blackout鈥攚hich has meant the true toll of the violence remains unclear.     鈥楬orrible scenes鈥�: Health workers who have managed to reach contacts outside the country report that protestors have been shot with live ammunition and pellets, with young people targeted, . 

• One hospital worker in Tehran said there were so many wounded that staff did not have time to perform CPR, per the BBC. Others have described creating makeshift operating rooms and activating new morgues as existing facilities are strained.  

Unknown toll: While human rights groups have tallied deaths reaching into the hundreds, other groups estimate that the true number may be in the thousands, .     Global condemnation:  Iranian officials of unlawful force and mass arrests and have called for an immediate halt to the bloodshed.   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES TECH & INNOVATION Drones Deliver Lifesaving Care in Ghana
A fleet of drones is transforming health care in rural Ghana, delivering millions of critical vaccines, medications, antivenoms, and blood units to remote facilities with limited access to such inventory.  

About the program: The delivery service is funded by Ghana鈥檚 government and implemented by the California-based company Zipline, which built a digital platform connecting ~3,000 health facilities to six distribution hubs.  

• Mobile requests are sent to these hubs, where products are placed in temperature-controlled packaging and delivered via drone and parachute.  

Impact: The drones have delivered 8.4 million medical products in Ghana from 2019 to 2025鈥攄rops credited with saving ~9,700 lives.  

Ongoing obstacles: Weak mobile signals in remote areas sometimes stymie orders, highlighting the need for improved mobile infrastructure. 

 

OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Measles response puts personal choice over orders 鈥�      Bird Flu Viruses Raise Mounting Concerns Among Scientists 鈥�     Face masks 鈥榠nadequate鈥� and should be swapped for respirators, WHO is advised 鈥�     California's School-Based Tobacco Use Prevention Program After Proposition 56: Results From a Statewide Evaluation 鈥� 

The long shadow of the one-child policy: China pays for its biggest social experiment with a demographic crisis 鈥� 

10 Considerations for Global Health Reform in 2026 鈥�      A child is born: Italians celebrate village鈥檚 first baby in 30 years 鈥�   Issue No. 2845
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: Unpacking America鈥檚 New Dietary Guidelines January 8, 2026 TOP STORIES The U.S. will withdraw from dozens of international and U.N. organizations, President Donald Trump announced鈥攊ncluding the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, U.N. Women, and the U.N. Population Fund鈥攚ith the administration saying they 鈥渙perate contrary to U.S. national interests.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

Burning plastic for household heating and cooking is far more widespread than previously known, ; the practice presents a growing health and environmental threat especially in low- and middle-income countries, researchers say.   

Strains of drug-resistant typhoid capable of resisting the strongest available antibiotics have emerged in South Asia, escalating fears over the rapid spread of drug-resistant infections; the samples collected from hospitals in India contain a gene capable of breaking down the powerful antibiotic class known as carbapenems.   

The U.S. House is set to vote today on a measure that would renew health insurance subsidies that expired at the end of last year; the three-year extension is expected to pass the House, but its future in the Senate is unclear.  IN FOCUS A social media post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showing the revised food pyramid in Lafayette, California, on January 7. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Unpacking America鈥檚 New Dietary Guidelines 
The U.S. food pyramid is again being overhauled, as  released by the Trump administration yesterday, call for avoiding processed foods in favor of whole, fresh foods and increased protein, .  

Key changes include:  

• Processed in the crosshairs: The guidance urges Americans to ditch highly processed foods, a major shift in formal federal dietary policy. The guidelines also say 鈥渘o amount鈥� of added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners is considered part of a healthy diet.  

• Pro-protein: The recommendations call for potentially doubling protein consumption. 

• Saturated fat reframing: The guidelines keep limits on saturated fats鈥攂ut they approve previously avoided sources like butter or beef tallow, . 

• Alcohol guidance loosened: The long-standing cap of 1鈥�2 drinks per day is gone, replaced by a simple message to 鈥渄rink less鈥濃�攄rawing pushback from public health groups, .  

Reactions: Medical groups praised the move away from processed foods and the emphasis on fresh foods, with American Medical Association president Bobby Mukkamala saying the rules 鈥渁ffirm that food is medicine.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

• But other groups, including the American Heart Association, expressed concerns about how the embrace of animal meat and dairy products could harm cardiovascular health.  

Implications: The guidelines鈥� most direct impact is on federal nutrition programs and in shaping the school meal programs used to feed ~30 million children daily, reports CNN.  

• But school leaders say they lack the funding to implement more fresh and from-scratch foods. 

Related: Common food preservatives linked to cancer and type 2 diabetes 鈥�   

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MALARIA Cameroon鈥檚 Push to Save Its Malaria Program  
When health workers in Cameroon learned last year that the U.S. was cutting critical malaria funding to the country, they feared a total loss of hard-won gains against the disease.  

But they persisted: As stocks of essential medications dwindled, nonprofits stepped in at critical junctures, and dedicated health workers continued to work unpaid for months鈥攎aking door-to-door visits and rushing supplies to those in need via bicycle. 

• 鈥淲e are the people who save small children. Of course we had to keep doing the job,鈥� said health worker Bachirou Agarbe. 

奥丑补迟鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;苍别虫迟: A proposed compact with the U.S. could lead to the restoration of $399 million over five years, contingent on Cameroon boosting its health spending. 

• Meanwhile, Cameroon鈥檚 malaria program is restarting with renewed shipments and stipends. 

 

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION These Words Are Tired. Let Them Rest.     Whoever suggested the list as 鈥渁 whimsical New Year鈥檚 Eve party idea in 1976鈥� couldn鈥檛 have imagined we鈥檇 be here, 50 years later, lamenting and celebrating worn-out words, thanks to .   
A sampling of 2026 banishments for, hopefully, the last time. 

• 6-7: Technically numbers, but certainly deserving of the dishonor.  

• Cooked: Or preferably, 鈥渁ll forms of the word cook.鈥� A blow to chefs, or anyone who likes food. 

• Incentivize: A painful example in 鈥渢he longstanding effort to turn nouns into verbs.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

• Reach Out: Deserved to die in emails鈥攂ut on dance floors,  remains immortal. 

Don鈥檛 get too excited. Banishment rarely kills with one strike. Double-banned Game Changer (2009, 2025) lives on. So does, of all things, Hot Water Heater (1982, 2018): 鈥淪ince when does hot water need to be heated?鈥� lamented a 1982 nominator.  
Why trust LSSU? Because this is an institution that  and . (Stick to enchanted forests, and bring pinking shears, 鈥渟erious intent,鈥� and sweet talk.)  
Where do we apply?  QUICK HITS Why a fatal 鈥榖lack fungus鈥� struck India during the COVID-19 pandemic 鈥�  
Three hospitals are under investigation for providing gender-affirming care to trans youth 鈥�  
COVID continues to exact heavy toll on older US adults, study suggests 鈥�  
Blue zones: Are global longevity hotspots a myth? New study shows where people really live longer 鈥�   
How a parasite 'gave up sex' to find more hosts鈥攁nd why its victory won't last 鈥�  Issue No. 2844
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96 Global Health NOW: Understanding America鈥檚 Mounting Malnutrition Rates; and Navigating Zimbabwe鈥檚 Deadly Roads January 7, 2026 TOP STORIES At least 41 young men in South Africa have died in recent coming-of-age circumcision rites, prompting government officials to call for more accountability measures for traditional schools that hold the ceremonies.     A U.S. appeals court upheld a ruling preventing the NIH from capping overhead payments on grants to academic institutions at 15%, maintaining current reimbursement rates; White House budget officials are, however, working on revisions to the current rules.  

Widespread HPV vaccination could substantially reduce the risk of precancerous lesions even among unvaccinated people through herd immunity,  that examined rates of cervical lesions among 850,000+ unvaccinated women and girls in Sweden.      Quick tuberculosis identification and treatment can significantly improve survival rates for people with HIV-related sepsis, found University of Virginia researchers in a five-year trial in East Africa.   IN FOCUS People wait in line for food distribution at La Colaborativa's food pantry in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on November 15, 2025. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Understanding America鈥檚 Mounting Malnutrition Rates      Malnutrition is America鈥檚 fastest-growing cause of death鈥攗p 6X in about a decade, now ranking with arterial disease, mental disorders, and deaths from assault, .    Why? The pattern is rising across all states, ages, races, and education levels, but the sharpest growth is among those age 85+.  

• While food insecurity amid rising costs is one reason for the increase among this demographic, there鈥檚 another key factor: data collection.

• Over the last decade, new criteria, clinical and insurance initiatives, and screenings have increased documentation of malnutrition鈥攅specially in cases where chronic illness drives weight and appetite loss in geriatric and hospice care. 

Still, hunger remains a hidden crisis in the U.S.: 13.7% of households were food insecure in 2024, the highest in nearly a decade鈥攊ncluding ~9% of households with kids, .  

• And childhood food insecurity has a lifelong impact on health and longevity, reports   

But the picture is about to get murkier, as the 2024 food security report will be the last after the USDA decided to terminate future reports, . 

• The end of the report marks a 鈥渞upture in long-standing data on food security among Americans,鈥� . 

DATA POINT

94%
鈥斺赌斺赌�
Reduction in the number of people estimated to be at risk of trachoma and requiring interventions鈥攚hich fell from ~1.5 billion people at risk in 2002 to 97.1 million as of November 2025. 
鈥撯赌�
  ROAD SAFETY Navigating Zimbabwe鈥檚 Deadly Roads    In Zimbabwe, driving instruction is no longer just about helping people obtain a license: It is about teaching new drivers to survive on some of the world鈥檚 deadliest roads.   

• 鈥淲e teach them to stay alive,鈥� said driving instructor Tafara Muvhevhi.  

By the numbers: Zimbabwe has one of Africa鈥檚 highest road fatality rates; the WHO estimates ~30 deaths per 100,000 people. 

• Crashes are reported every 15 minutes. 

• 5 deaths and 38 injuries are recorded per day.  

A breakdown in safety: Road safety swiftly deteriorated in 2010 amid economic strain, weak traffic enforcement, and a boom in informal transport.    Improvement efforts: Police in Zimbabwe are seeking to overhaul the driver licensing system, including higher penalties for offenders and a revamp of driver training.       OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Venezuela crisis: UN aid effort continues amid political upheaval 鈥�     High levels of Chagas disease parasite found in insects near U.S.-Mexico border 鈥�     Despite Little Research, Companies Race to Market Autism Tests 鈥�     For Kilifi women, family planning requires a husband鈥檚 permission 鈥�     Abortion stays legal in Wyoming as its top court strikes down laws, including first US pill ban 鈥�     Does the U.S. Have a Fertility Crisis? 鈥�     RFK Jr.鈥檚 war on antidepressants is coming 鈥� and it will cost lives 鈥�   
Adults in England eating as much salt a day as in 22 bags of crisps, study show 鈥�   Issue No. 2843
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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96 Global Health NOW: Vaccine Schedule Change Draws Fire; and India鈥檚 鈥楶reventable Tragedy鈥� January 6, 2026 TOP STORIES Sexual violence against children is 鈥渆ntrenched鈥� and rising across DRC, with 35,000+ cases recorded in the first nine months of 2025 alone,  which notes that widespread conflict and funding cuts have shuttered many safe spaces, mobile clinics, and community-based protection programs.  
  New cervical cancer screening guidelines from a U.S. health agency include a home HPV test option using self-collection swabs to send to a lab for analysis; , cite studies demonstrating the potential for self-collection to up screening rates鈥攊ncluding in hard-to-reach populations.   
  The U.S. EPA is dismissing a WHO cancer review agency鈥檚 determination that atrazine, the second most common herbicide in the U.S., is 鈥減robably carcinogenic to humans鈥�; 60+ countries have banned the chemical due to endocrine-disrupting properties and groundwater contamination risks.   
  New research on stimulants used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) work鈥攂ut by targeting the brain鈥檚 reward and wakefulness centers, not by acting on the brain鈥檚 attention circuitry, as had been assumed; , also point to the important role of sleep deprivation in the disorder.   IN FOCUS A child sports a Paw Patrol Band-Aid after receiving a flu vaccine during a Los Angeles immunization event on October 24, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Vaccine Schedule Change Draws Fire    Astonished U.S. health leaders are sharply criticizing the unprecedented reduction in the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule announced yesterday by federal health officials. 

• Recommended vaccines were cut from 17 to 11, .  

• U.S. officials said the new schedule would improve public trust, blaming the previous schedule for falling vaccination rates. They referred to limited safety data about vaccines, despite rigorous safety testing.   

Vaccines cut from the schedule include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, rotavirus, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, . These vaccines will be recommended only for high-risk groups or after consultation with a health care provider.    Warning: Before common use of the rotavirus vaccine, as many as 70,000 U.S. children were hospitalized annually because of the disease.      Health leaders respond: 

• 鈥淯nfortunately, it鈥檚 becoming increasingly clear that we can no longer trust the leadership of our federal government for credible information about vaccines, and that鈥檚 a tragedy that will cause needless suffering,鈥� said American Academy of Pediatrics鈥� chair of its infectious disease committee Sean O鈥橪eary. 

• 鈥淸T]his will increase confusion and decrease vaccine uptake,鈥� said immunologist Helen Chu. 

• 鈥淲eakening recommendations for vaccines in the name of ideology over epidemiology undermines America鈥檚 leadership in public health and trust in our health authorities,鈥� said John Crowley, Biotechnology Innovation Organization president. 

奥丑补迟鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;苍别虫迟? Lawsuits will likely follow, experts told STAT. 
Related:   
Rotavirus Could Come Roaring Back鈥擵ery Soon 鈥�     US cuts the number of vaccines recommended for every child, a move slammed by physicians 鈥�     GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CERVICAL CANCER India鈥檚 鈥楶reventable Tragedy鈥�     Cervical cancer kills 75,000+ women in India each year鈥攁 crisis driven by a range of preventable factors that lead to increased transmission, late diagnosis, and high mortality. Some contributors:  

• Low vaccine coverage: Despite exhortations from the WHO and other public health leaders, India lacks a nationwide HPV vaccination program.  

• Early marriage: Doctors link early marriages and repeated marriages with increased vulnerability.  

• Minimal screening: Only ~2% of eligible women have access to routine screening.  

• Poor protection: A 2021 report found that fewer than one in 10 men in India use condoms. 

The Quote: 鈥淐ervical cancer is not just a medical issue. It is a reflection of gender inequality, weak health systems and the failure to prioritise women鈥檚 health,鈥� said Mumbai physician Sonali Roy.        GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES: RIP QUICK HITS 鈥榃e couldn鈥檛 find her鈥�: Mothers abandon their children in refugee camp 鈥�      Why flu seems to be everywhere 鈥� even if 鈥榮uper flu鈥� is not a thing 鈥�      More seniors are becoming homeless. Shelters are trying to adapt 鈥�     UK regulator investigating bad cancer drugs revealed by TBIJ 鈥�      To Knock Down Health-System Hurdles Between You and HIV Prevention, Try These 6 Things 鈥�      Hard to digest: we still live in Fast Food Nation 鈥�   Issue No. 2842
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 Struggle to Stop Maternal Bleeding; and New Year鈥檚 Resolutions from the 鈥楳other of Injury Prevention鈥� January 5, 2026 TOP STORIES The Swiss bar fire that killed 40 people on New Year鈥檚 Day involved several preventable safety lapses at the facility, including a ceiling covered in flammable foam and a crowded basement with a narrow staircase exit that became a choke point when the blaze started.   

U.S. states will no longer be required to report how many children and pregnant women covered by Medicaid are vaccinated,  from the Trump administration to state officials; the move could significantly impact visibility into nationwide vaccination rates, as Medicaid programs cover almost half of U.S. children.     Babies who miss getting their first round of vaccines on time鈥攁t 2 months old鈥攁re more than 7X less likely to get vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella by age 2 (months beyond recommendations), .     A UK ban on TV junk food ads before 9 p.m.鈥攁nd a total ban for online ads鈥攖akes effect today as part of a wider effort to tackle childhood obesity; the Advertising Standards Authority will serve as the watchdog and enforcer for the bans.   IN FOCUS A woman weakened by childbirth complications rests as her baby is wrapped in a blanket in the maternity ward of the Civil Hospital. Tonj, South Sudan, May 5, 2017. Fabio Bucciarelli/AFP via Getty The Struggle to Stop Maternal Bleeding    New efforts to prevent mothers from bleeding to death during childbirth in 10+ countries have stalled since U.S. foreign aid cuts last year鈥攔eversing decades of progress in maternal survival and imperiling vulnerable mothers, .     Background: Groundbreaking research in 2023 showed postpartum hemorrhage deaths could be cut by 60% through faster diagnosis, a simple blood-measuring drape, and immediate medication interventions.  

• Resulting programs in countries with some of the world鈥檚 highest maternal mortality rates proved transformative. 

Sudden setbacks: The slashed funding has led to a critical loss of lifesaving medications, equipment, and outreach services. 

• In parts of Malawi, clinics recorded thousands fewer antenatal visits and lost track of hundreds of pregnant women.

• Excessive bleeding rates have returned to pre-2022 levels, and audits suggest that some deaths could have been prevented without the cuts. 

One hopeful development: A project to save the lives of mothers during childbirth, the Safer Births in Crisis project, led by the International Rescue Committee, is launching in South Sudan and Burkina Faso after former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern stepped in to rescue part of the program, .  DATA POINT

50+
鈥斺赌斺赌�
The number of countries that have eliminated at least one NTD in the past decade鈥攈elping to reduce the number of people needing NTD interventions by 32%, from 2.2 billion to 1.5 billion in 2023. 鈥撯赌�
  GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY Sue Baker spent her career preventing injuries to children, truck drivers, pilots, and others. Undated photo New Year鈥檚 Resolutions from the 鈥楳other of Injury Prevention鈥�    After a bruising year for public health, injury prevention pioneer Sue Baker can provide inspiration and career guidance for 2026, .      Baker, a professor emerita at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, changed the perception that injuries were 鈥渁ccidents鈥濃�攊nevitable acts of fate. Draisin, who鈥檚 writing a book about Baker, sifted through hours of interviews for three important lessons:     1. Don鈥檛 be afraid to take on new challenges.     As a 36-year-old homemaker with three young children, Baker took a computer programming class so she could get a job with the School鈥檚 then-Department of Chronic Diseases. That challenge cracked open a window into public health. 鈥淪trike out for the things you really want to see happen, even if it seems unlikely, because some of them will work out,鈥� Baker advises.     2. Go to the field to understand it.     To learn how to prevent injuries, Baker drove an 18-wheeler, earned a pilot鈥檚 license, and spent a week on an aircraft carrier.      3. Speak the truth鈥攅ven when it鈥檚 unwelcome.     From motorcyclists who didn鈥檛 like helmets to trucking companies more interested in profits than safety, Baker stood up to opponents with disarming calm.      The takeaway: Baker reminds us that the promise of 2026 lies in our willingness to think鈥攁nd act鈥攂oldly, writes Draisin.  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES DEMOGRAPHICS China Imposes a Contraceptive Tax      China has imposed a 13% value-added tax on contraceptive drugs and condoms as the country continues a series of drastic policy reversals around birth rate targets, .     History: For 30+ years, contraceptives have been tax-exempt in China as the country sought strict enforcement of its one-child policy.       Today: As the nation鈥檚 birth rate plummets, Chinese officials have made an about-face, introducing a range of 鈥渇ertility-friendly鈥� incentives, subsidies, and classes to encourage people to have more children.       Backlash: Critics say this measure will have little to no impact on birth rates as economic pressures continue鈥攁nd they say it will unfairly burden low-income citizens, .  

• Meanwhile, health experts fear that the taxes could lead to more sexually transmitted diseases. 

QUICK HITS In a year of steep challenges, there were still shining moments in global health 鈥�  
Canadian officials say US health institutions no longer dependable for accurate information 鈥�     Baltimore Drove Down Gun Deaths. Now Trump Has Slashed Funding for That Work. 鈥�     Vaccines Are Helping Older People More Than We Knew 鈥�     Deborah Birx: Public health data should be as available as the weather forecast 鈥�      What viruses an infectious-disease doctor is watching for in 2026 鈥�  
He made beer that鈥檚 also a vaccine. Now controversy is brewing 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!  Issue No. 2841
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: 2025's Global Health Bright Spots December 18, 2025 TOP STORIES The U.S. House passed a Republican health care bill yesterday that does not extend expiring Obamacare health insurance subsidies and is expected to lead to a spike in health insurance premiums; the bill next goes before the Senate.      Toxic air pollution in Delhi is leading officials to adopt a range of stringent anti-pollution measures including vehicle bans and mandatory work from home for some employees, ; meanwhile, environmentalists and data experts say India鈥檚 loose air quality measurement standards mask the true severity of pollution in the country, .   

Antiseptic properties of tree sap from the New Guinea Rosewood tree show promise in helping to treat skin ulcers that afflict children in Papua New Guinea, say scientists involved in an ongoing randomized trial there.     An early-warning approach for detecting the chronic bacterial skin infection called Buruli ulcer can flag hotspots years before human cases occur; the method relies on surveillance of possum excreta and innovative genomics.   EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE Our Last Issue Until 2026    It has been a tumultuous year for global and public health, and we know that the news has often been hard to read. But there have also been some tremendous global health wins鈥攁nd some standout success stories and examples of solidarity from around the world. For our last issue of the year, we鈥檙e keeping the focus on the bright notes, bringing you our take on the year鈥檚 best global health news.     We鈥檒l be back on Monday, January 5, with more news; until then, we hope you have a joyous, restful holiday season! 鈥�Dayna IN FOCUS Global Health Wins from 2025

• Shielding Babies From Mosquitoes: Lesus, traditional baby swaddles used in Uganda, could be used to protect against malaria once treated with mosquito repellent, , which found that malaria infections fell by ~65% among children who used the treated wraps.  


• Pandemic Pact Reached: After three years of negotiations, WHO member states signed a historic pandemic agreement鈥攑aving the way to future pandemic prevention and response by strengthening disease surveillance and improving global access to vaccines and other drugs; notably, the U.S. did not sign on, despite previous involvement in the pact鈥檚 development.  


• Leaning into Lenacapavir in the HIV Fight: Amid upheaval in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the WHO urged governments to expand access to prevention tools, especially the new twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir鈥攚ith health leaders lauding the 鈥渞emarkable momentum鈥� of the drug鈥檚 approval in several countries this year.   


• A New Vaccine for the Meningitis Belt: A century of meningitis outbreaks across a wide strip of sub-Saharan Africa may be dramatically reduced thanks to a new vaccine that prevents the lethal disease; Men5CV, developed by India鈥檚 Serum Institute of India and the Seattle-based PATH, is expected to cost $3 per dose and has been distributed in Niger and Nigeria, with more to come.  

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES AROUND THE WORLD: SUCCESS STORIES

• How Guinea Stopped Sleeping Sickness: A so-called 鈥渢iny targets鈥� approach helped make a massive dent in cases: Researchers discovered that the tsetse flies that spread the parasitic disease are attracted to the color blue and developed tiny blue fabric screens coated with insecticide to attract and kill the insects. 


• Triple Triumph in the Maldives: This year, the Maldives became the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of three diseases: hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis, thanks to a combination of strong antenatal care, standardized newborn hepatitis B vaccination, and free diagnostic services and vaccines included in universal health coverage.     


• Brazil Turns Around Its Teen Pregnancy Epidemic: Brazil once had the highest teen pregnancy rates in Latin America鈥攂ut births among Brazilian girls ages 15鈥�19 have plummeted 44% over the last 25 years; expanded birth control access鈥攊ncluding free birth control, condoms, and IUDs鈥攊s credited, along with poverty reduction and better opportunities for young women.   


• Hope for Fistula Survivors in Nigeria: Free fistula repair surgery will soon be available at clinics throughout Nigeria, health officials announced in March鈥攁 鈥済roundbreaking move鈥� in a country that sees ~12,000 new cases a year of vesicovaginal fistula, which can be a debilitating and highly stigmatizing condition.  


• Standing Up to Stigma: In Rwanda, stigma can lead to social isolation, especially in school-age children, who are often mocked for taking HIV medication in class. New protective measures include trainings for school officials, youth-driven anti-AIDS clubs, and the use of discrete pill boxes in classrooms.   


• Slovenia鈥檚 Preventive Care Pays Off: More than 20 years ago, Slovenia adopted a chronic disease prevention strategy that is now showing impressive results and becoming a model for other countries; the system emphasizes primary care, screening, and coaching the population to seek regular checks at health promotion hubs.  

OPPORTUNITY Train Here. Change the World. 
Fast-track your career this January with the Winter Institute. Designed for working professionals and students, our condensed credit or non-credit courses will accelerate your learning goals. Our flexible courses range from a single day to two weeks and cover a variety of public health interest areas.

WINTER READING SEND-OFF A selection of book recommendations from GHN readers. Dayna Kerecman Myers Revisiting GHN Book Recs
In August, some GHN readers shared book recommendations that we're resharing here n case you need some winter reading 鈥� or last-minute gift ideas! Thanks again to all who sent in tips. 

• The Education of an Idealist and A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, both by Samantha Power 鈥�Lorina McAdam


• Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond 鈥�Hannah Schoon


• Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life by John Kaag 鈥�Lorenn Walker


• Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio 鈥�Michael Kowolik


• Escape on the Pearl: The Heroic Bid for Freedom on the Underground Railroad by Mary Kay Ricks 鈥�Stephan Gilbert


• Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green 鈥�Caitlin Lavigne

And, in case you鈥檙e heading over the river and through the woods by car, here are audio books on the free app Libby from Peter Kilmarx:

• On Call by Tony Fauci 


• The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides 


• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson  

Hope that tides you over for a cozy break鈥攁nd we鈥檒l see you in the new year!   QUICK HITS 'Trojan horse moment': anti-rights groups seize chance to fill void left by US aid cuts 鈥�      House Republicans advance sweeping anti-trans bills ahead of holiday break 鈥�     American Academy of Pediatrics loses HHS funding after criticizing RFK Jr. 鈥�     Chile鈥檚 new president could shake up nation鈥檚 science community 鈥�      Blamed for the nation鈥檚 historic measles outbreak, West Texas Mennonites have hardened their views on vaccines 鈥�     Why I volunteered to be infected with dengue fever 鈥�      Dog with prosthetic paws inspires Ukrainian veterans recovering from wounds of war 鈥�   Issue No. 2840
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 2025 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: A 鈥楤rutal,鈥� Man-Made Hunger Crisis and the Best Global Health Reporting of 2025 December 17, 2025 TOP STORIES The U.S. CDC approved updated hepatitis B vaccine recommendations for infants, reversing a decades-old policy offering every newborn a hepatitis B shot; the decision was approved despite criticism from physicians and health systems, who said they would not be changing their practices.       A former leading NIH scientist has sued the Trump administration over her firing, claiming she was illegally terminated for her warning that widespread cuts to the agency were endangering patients鈥攅specially those enrolled in clinical trials鈥攁nd imperiling public health.     Cases of a new, shape-shifting influenza variant鈥擩.2.4.1, or subclade K鈥攁re rising globally, now detected in 30+ countries; while the variant is not included in the current flu vaccine composition, the WHO emphasizes that seasonal vaccines still offer the best protection against severe cases.     The UN General Assembly approved a political declaration to combat noncommunicable diseases and promote mental health, with near-unanimous approval from member states except Argentina, Paraguay, and the U.S.鈥攚hich claimed that the declaration overreached in recommending measures like taxes on unhealthy products.   IN FOCUS A 鈥楤rutal,鈥� Man-Made Hunger Crisis    After the Trump administration鈥檚 sudden cuts to food aid early this year, U.S. officials were repeatedly warned by humanitarian advocates that the disruption would cause starvation, violence, and death among refugees in Kenya.     Those warnings were ignored, resulting in what aid workers describe as an American-made crisis.      of the unfolding crisis from multiple angles:  

• The lengths World Food Program workers went to warn of dangers, from emergency cables to appeals made over elaborate dinners in Nairobi. 

• Trump administration officials鈥� studied refusal to acknowledge the urgency.  

• And the suffering endured by families in Nairobi鈥檚 Kakuma camp, where rations fell to historic lows, malnourished children wasted and died, and families fled rather than starve. 

鈥淚鈥檝e never experienced anything like it,鈥� said one longtime aid worker in Kakuma. 鈥淚t鈥檚 huge and brutal and traumatizing.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
  The report expands on  depicting how U.S. officials celebrated USAID cuts with cake鈥攅ven as dire warnings of resulting cholera deaths in South Sudan loomed.

The pair of articles from Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Brett Murphy cap a year of excellent reporting from many global health journalists on the global fallout from slashed foreign aid, leading us into our round-up of 2025鈥檚 must-reads.    2025's BEST GLOBAL HEALTH REPORTING The Toxic Toll of Battery Recycling    American car companies have long relied on recycled lead for batteries. But the process of recycling is steadily poisoning the communities working and living around the factories throughout Africa.

• Children near one factory cluster outside Lagos, Nigeria, had lead levels that could cause lifelong brain damage.  

• Automakers were aware of the lead pollution for nearly 30 years, yet they opted not to act鈥攁nd actively blocked advocates鈥� attempts to intervene.  

 
  A Portrait of Measles Resurgence    As measles swept through North America amid declining vaccination rates, reporter Eli Saslow chronicled one West Texas family鈥檚 battle with the virus鈥攚hich forced the father and four children to spend days in the hospital.  

• 鈥溾�業 feel like I鈥檝e been lied to,鈥� [the father] Kiley texted his wife, as his temperature hit 40掳C (104掳F). He treated himself with cod liver oil and vitamin D," as recommended by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

       A Must-Read Commentary:  
鈥淎s the pandemic rose, I saw my patients get sick and in some cases die, including a 42-year-old mother of two young children whose loss is seared into my soul. As it receded 鈥� the overwhelming public sentiment was: never again. Today, it seems: never what?鈥� 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�斺赌斺赌� Siddhartha Mukherjee in鈥痑 March 10, 2025, commentary in  Argentina鈥檚 鈥楾idal Wave鈥� of Health Cuts 
Extreme cuts to Argentina鈥檚 health systems under President Javier Milei鈥檚 austerity measures forced patients and their families to resort to desperate measures to access vital care, including turning to Facebook to obtain donated cancer drugs.       
  A Scourge of Dud Cancer Drugs  
Critical chemotherapy drugs used worldwide have failed key quality tests, leaving cancer patients in 100+ countries at risk of ineffective treatments and life-threatening side effects鈥攅xposing dangerous gaps in international drug regulation.    

• Meanwhile,  has found that globally-exported generic medications from major Indian drugmaker Zee Laboratories have been repeatedly flagged as ineffective and dangerous; but a lack of repercussions means the company continues to ship pharmaceuticals worldwide. 

More Notables:   

• Wielding Obscure Budget Tools, Trump鈥檚 鈥楻eaper鈥� Vought Sows Turmoil in Public Health 鈥� 

• How Imperial Brands鈥� confidential contract kept cigarette prices low in Laos鈥攚hile secretly enriching a political insider 鈥�  

• Trump Halted an Agent Orange Cleanup. That Puts Hundreds of Thousands at Risk for Poisoning. 鈥� 

QUICK HITS How countries around the world have responded to mass shootings 鈥�      Why Mumbai's Overcrowded Trains Prove Fatal 鈥�     Grant cuts, arrests, lay-offs: Trump made 2025 a tumultuous year for science 鈥�     House Speaker Johnson rebuffs efforts to extend health care subsidies, pushing ahead with GOP plan 鈥�      Gen Z behind jump in use of oral nicotine pouches across Great Britain 鈥�     A Powerful New Drug Is Creating a 鈥榃ithdrawal Crisis鈥� in Philadelphia 鈥�  

A grad student鈥檚 wild idea triggers a major aging breakthrough 鈥�  Issue No. 2839
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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