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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 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.
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 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌 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.
More Notables:
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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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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- 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.
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.
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 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌 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
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: An 鈥楢ccelerating鈥 Measles Outbreak; and GHN's Best Exclusives of 2025
December 16, 2025
TOP STORIES
A phase two trial for an Oxford University-developed vaccine against the deadly Nipah virus has been launched in Bangladesh, where the disease has a case fatality rate of up to 71%.
Suspected militants killed two people including a police officer guarding a team of polio workers in northwestern Pakistan today, amid a weeklong nationwide campaign aimed at immunizing 45 million children. Speakers and members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) frequently commented about infectious disease risks from immigrants during this month鈥檚 meeting of the CDC panel, sparking concerns about anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Personalized risk-based breast cancer screening was as effective as one-size-fits-all annual mammograms in a large trial of ~46,000 women; the findings suggest a risk-based approach could improve screening by shifting resources from low-risk women to high-risk women. IN FOCUS The heart of downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, on June 13, 2021. J. Michael Jones An 鈥楢ccelerating鈥 Measles Outbreak The surging South Carolina measles outbreak has topped 120 cases and sent hundreds into 21-day quarantines, as state health officials hunker down for a monthslong fight.
Workers in the area produce 50,000 tons of firecrackers annually鈥攎ost of India's鈥痜ireworks鈥攊n factories prone to explosions and fires. Journalist Kamala Thiagarajan鈥檚 two-part series takes readers inside a poorly regulated factory system that led to at least 100 deaths in 2023鈥2024.
鈥&苍产蝉辫;
Migration Response Done Right: Brazil鈥檚 Model PACARAIMA, Brazil鈥擬igrants fleeing Venezuela鈥檚 deteriorating political and economic system have found something wondrous at the border with Brazil: Open arms. Since 2018, the Opera莽茫o Acolhida (Operation Welcome) partnership has blended military logistical support with respect for humanitarian autonomy to provide housing, essential services, and efforts to counter human trafficking, though U.S. foreign aid cuts have forced some organizations to scale back. (with support from the Johns Hopkins-Pulitzer Global Health Reporting Fellowship) Dispensing 鈥楩ree Chances at Life鈥 In this hard-partying college town of Iowa City, the beloved Deadwood Tavern is known as a great place to relax, watch Iowa football, pick up free naloxone, birth control, emergency contraceptives, gun locks, wound care kits, and needle disposal kits. They鈥檙e all available, free and anonymously, from the public health vending machine at the back of the bar鈥攑art of a trend taking off in dozens of cities.
Peru鈥檚 Illegal Mining Surges 鈥 and Destroys LIMA, Peru鈥擲oaring gold prices and plunging U.S. government funds are鈥痯ushing Peru鈥檚 southeastern jungle, scene of a booming illegal mining industry, into a public health crisis鈥攚ith destroyed forests, mercury poisoning, and fast-spreading infectious diseases. The cancelation of U.S.-supported reforestation and mercury poisoning mitigation projects has been likened to 鈥渢hrowing gasoline on an already hot fire.鈥
Why Latin America Needs Its Own CDC鈥擭ow More Than Ever (Commentary)
Latin American governments must champion the creation of a regional CDC, similar to the Africa CDC model, that would work alongside PAHO to ensure faster, more efficient responses to health emergencies, according to three public health leaders from the region.
Other Notable Exclusives
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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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You can or .
Suspected militants killed two people including a police officer guarding a team of polio workers in northwestern Pakistan today, amid a weeklong nationwide campaign aimed at immunizing 45 million children. Speakers and members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) frequently commented about infectious disease risks from immigrants during this month鈥檚 meeting of the CDC panel, sparking concerns about anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Personalized risk-based breast cancer screening was as effective as one-size-fits-all annual mammograms in a large trial of ~46,000 women; the findings suggest a risk-based approach could improve screening by shifting resources from low-risk women to high-risk women. IN FOCUS The heart of downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, on June 13, 2021. J. Michael Jones An 鈥楢ccelerating鈥 Measles Outbreak The surging South Carolina measles outbreak has topped 120 cases and sent hundreds into 21-day quarantines, as state health officials hunker down for a monthslong fight.
- 126 cases鈥攎any among schoolchildren鈥攈ave been reported in the state鈥檚 northwest, . 119 of the measles patients were unvaccinated.
- 303 people are in quarantine (some for the second time), and 13 are in isolation.
- "There's some people who don't want to do it, and that's up to them," McMaster said. "People need to understand it's dangerous just like a lot of other diseases. If there's some way to prevent it, you ought to do it."
- Local people are divided with some skeptical of vaccines and aggrieved by COVID-19 remote learning and shutdowns, while others worry about risks for their youngest children, .
Workers in the area produce 50,000 tons of firecrackers annually鈥攎ost of India's鈥痜ireworks鈥攊n factories prone to explosions and fires. Journalist Kamala Thiagarajan鈥檚 two-part series takes readers inside a poorly regulated factory system that led to at least 100 deaths in 2023鈥2024.
鈥&苍产蝉辫;
Migration Response Done Right: Brazil鈥檚 Model PACARAIMA, Brazil鈥擬igrants fleeing Venezuela鈥檚 deteriorating political and economic system have found something wondrous at the border with Brazil: Open arms. Since 2018, the Opera莽茫o Acolhida (Operation Welcome) partnership has blended military logistical support with respect for humanitarian autonomy to provide housing, essential services, and efforts to counter human trafficking, though U.S. foreign aid cuts have forced some organizations to scale back. (with support from the Johns Hopkins-Pulitzer Global Health Reporting Fellowship) Dispensing 鈥楩ree Chances at Life鈥 In this hard-partying college town of Iowa City, the beloved Deadwood Tavern is known as a great place to relax, watch Iowa football, pick up free naloxone, birth control, emergency contraceptives, gun locks, wound care kits, and needle disposal kits. They鈥檙e all available, free and anonymously, from the public health vending machine at the back of the bar鈥攑art of a trend taking off in dozens of cities.
Peru鈥檚 Illegal Mining Surges 鈥 and Destroys LIMA, Peru鈥擲oaring gold prices and plunging U.S. government funds are鈥痯ushing Peru鈥檚 southeastern jungle, scene of a booming illegal mining industry, into a public health crisis鈥攚ith destroyed forests, mercury poisoning, and fast-spreading infectious diseases. The cancelation of U.S.-supported reforestation and mercury poisoning mitigation projects has been likened to 鈥渢hrowing gasoline on an already hot fire.鈥
Why Latin America Needs Its Own CDC鈥擭ow More Than Ever (Commentary)
Latin American governments must champion the creation of a regional CDC, similar to the Africa CDC model, that would work alongside PAHO to ensure faster, more efficient responses to health emergencies, according to three public health leaders from the region.
Other Notable Exclusives
- by Rupsa Chakraborty
- by Scovian Lillian
- by Abiodun Jamiu
- by Sanket Jain
- (commentary) by Siddhesh Zadey and Dhananjaya Sharma
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Mosquito-Borne Illnesses Engulf Cuba; and Prosecutions Climb in a Post-Roe Landscape
December 15, 2025
TOP STORIES
A military air strike on a hospital in Burma (Myanmar) killed at least 31 and injured dozens more last Wednesday; the attack left the Rakhine state hospital, which was stretched thin and overflowing with patients before being struck, in ruins.
The U.S. FDA may place a 鈥渂lack-box鈥 warning on COVID-19 vaccines, ; a decision on whether to place the label鈥攗sed to flag serious threats to life and health鈥攊s expected by the end of this month.
The FDA also approved two antibiotics, zoliflodacin and gepotidacin, to treat gonorrhea late last week; the approval comes as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes the STI, has 鈥渙utsmarted every previous antibiotic deployed against it, including the sole therapy that remains effective.鈥
A $2.5 billion aid deal between Kenya and the U.S. has been suspended by a Kenyan court over data privacy concerns, after a consumer rights group sounded the alarm that under the deal Kenyans鈥 personal medical data could be viewed by U.S. officials. IN FOCUS An employee of Cuba's Ministry of Public Health fumigates a house in the Jesus Maria neighborhood of Havana, on November 20. Adalberto Roque/AFP via Getty Images Mosquito-Borne Illnesses Engulf Cuba Mosquito-borne illnesses are sweeping through Cuba鈥檚 population amid medicine shortages, overcrowded hospitals, and a lack of government action and transparency, . On the ground: Health officials and independent advocates report a mix of dengue, chikungunya, Oropouche, and other respiratory viruses circulating simultaneously.
Related: Fewer characters on TV had abortions this year 鈥 and more stories reinforced shame 鈥 QUICK HITS Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera. 鈥 Nearly half of Japanese have experienced loneliness and isolation 鈥 New clues about long covid鈥檚 cause could unlock treatments 鈥 Harvard Replaces Leader of Health Center Said to Have Focused on Palestinians 鈥
AI finds a surprising monkeypox weak spot that could rewrite vaccines 鈥 The Epidemic of Tobacco Harms among People with Mental Health Conditions 鈥 What's behind the wellness claims for the synthetic dye methylene blue? 鈥 The gift that shaped my career in science 鈥 Issue No. 2837
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
The U.S. FDA may place a 鈥渂lack-box鈥 warning on COVID-19 vaccines, ; a decision on whether to place the label鈥攗sed to flag serious threats to life and health鈥攊s expected by the end of this month.
The FDA also approved two antibiotics, zoliflodacin and gepotidacin, to treat gonorrhea late last week; the approval comes as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes the STI, has 鈥渙utsmarted every previous antibiotic deployed against it, including the sole therapy that remains effective.鈥
A $2.5 billion aid deal between Kenya and the U.S. has been suspended by a Kenyan court over data privacy concerns, after a consumer rights group sounded the alarm that under the deal Kenyans鈥 personal medical data could be viewed by U.S. officials. IN FOCUS An employee of Cuba's Ministry of Public Health fumigates a house in the Jesus Maria neighborhood of Havana, on November 20. Adalberto Roque/AFP via Getty Images Mosquito-Borne Illnesses Engulf Cuba Mosquito-borne illnesses are sweeping through Cuba鈥檚 population amid medicine shortages, overcrowded hospitals, and a lack of government action and transparency, . On the ground: Health officials and independent advocates report a mix of dengue, chikungunya, Oropouche, and other respiratory viruses circulating simultaneously.
- Many Cubans simply refer to the illnesses as 鈥渢he virus鈥濃攔eflecting confusion about what they are suffering from amid little to no diagnostic resources.
- Symptoms include high fever, rashes, swelling of joints, vomiting, diarrhea, and persistent pain that leaves many unable to walk normally.
- last month suggested that one-third of the Cuban population was infected.
- Children and older people have been especially affected.
Conditions are exacerbated by severe food and medicine shortages, sanitation failures, prolonged power blackouts, and failed vector control.
-
鈥淣obody is okay here. 鈥 We are an army of zombies,鈥 57-year-old Mercedes Interian told El Pa铆s.
Related: Fewer characters on TV had abortions this year 鈥 and more stories reinforced shame 鈥 QUICK HITS Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera. 鈥 Nearly half of Japanese have experienced loneliness and isolation 鈥 New clues about long covid鈥檚 cause could unlock treatments 鈥 Harvard Replaces Leader of Health Center Said to Have Focused on Palestinians 鈥
AI finds a surprising monkeypox weak spot that could rewrite vaccines 鈥 The Epidemic of Tobacco Harms among People with Mental Health Conditions 鈥 What's behind the wellness claims for the synthetic dye methylene blue? 鈥 The gift that shaped my career in science 鈥 Issue No. 2837
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Ukraine Births Under Siege; and Slovenia鈥檚 Preventive Care Pays Off
December 11, 2025
TOP STORIES
Afghanistan鈥檚 humanitarian crisis is deepening with the deterioration of basic human rights, especially for women and girls, warn senior UN officials鈥攚ho say nearly half of the country鈥檚 population will need protection and humanitarian assistance amid economic decline, displacement, and diminishing aid.
South Carolina鈥檚 measles outbreak is 鈥渁ccelerating鈥 due to holiday travel and undervaccination, ; of the 111 measles cases recorded in the state鈥檚 northwest region, 105 involved people who were unvaccinated while three were partially vaccinated.
An international study has identified a blood-based indicator of intestinal damage and inflammation that strongly predicts mortality in sick children; the new biomarker could help to identify children at greatest risk of dying post-hospitalization in low-resource parts of the world.
Even a small proportion of citizens who do not comply with public health measures can amplify an epidemic鈥檚 spread in large cities, in Turin, Milan, and Palermo that analyzed the role of individual behavior in the spread of contagions. IN FOCUS Bogdana Zhupanyna surveys the damage to her apartment days after it was struck by a drone during a Russian bombardment. July 23, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Scott Peterson/Getty Ukraine Births Under Siege Childbirth in Ukraine has grown increasingly perilous, as relentless bombardments and displacement fuel a maternal mortality crisis and contribute to plunging birth rates that threaten the country鈥檚 future. Dangerous delivery: Maternal deaths in Ukraine spiked 37% between 2023 and 2024, reaching 25.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, .
In yesterday鈥檚 GHN, in a story about the , we referred to the disease as a virus, but cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. We regret the error. Thanks to Hasanain Odhar for pointing out the mistake! ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Will This Christmas Kill 鈥楲ast Christmas鈥? Think of it as 鈥攂ut for a Christmas song. And no one gets rich. After decades of relentless overplay from Halloween til Christmas, a group of pals in Europe has organized the masses in a takedown of the loathed holiday track.
The first rule of Whamageddon: . Us versus the airwaves: Refereed only by the honor system, players
must publicly forfeit themselves if they鈥檙e 鈥渉it鈥 by the signature synth. WHAMbushing others is a no-no and radio hosts, who can send countless players to dreaded 鈥淲hamhalla鈥 with a single play, Full disclosure: Until now, we actually didn鈥檛 realize we were supposed to hate the song and are now trying to catch up. If you鈥檙e in the same boat, of its 鈥渋nanity鈥 and narrative incoherence. But we will say: If making sense is how this YouTube scrooge rates music, we鈥檇 love to hear his take on QUICK HITS The fight to beat neglected tropical diseases was going well. 2025 could change that 鈥 Meta shuts down global accounts linked to abortion advice and queer content 鈥 U.S. mass killings drop to 20-year low. Some policy shifts might be helping. 鈥 EU officials acted to aid tobacco giant abroad, documents show 鈥 Climate Change Is an Information Crisis; Public Health Already Knows How to Fight Those 鈥 Japan turns to AI, robot caregivers to tackle dementia crisis 鈥 Issue No. 2836
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
An international study has identified a blood-based indicator of intestinal damage and inflammation that strongly predicts mortality in sick children; the new biomarker could help to identify children at greatest risk of dying post-hospitalization in low-resource parts of the world.
Even a small proportion of citizens who do not comply with public health measures can amplify an epidemic鈥檚 spread in large cities, in Turin, Milan, and Palermo that analyzed the role of individual behavior in the spread of contagions. IN FOCUS Bogdana Zhupanyna surveys the damage to her apartment days after it was struck by a drone during a Russian bombardment. July 23, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Scott Peterson/Getty Ukraine Births Under Siege Childbirth in Ukraine has grown increasingly perilous, as relentless bombardments and displacement fuel a maternal mortality crisis and contribute to plunging birth rates that threaten the country鈥檚 future. Dangerous delivery: Maternal deaths in Ukraine spiked 37% between 2023 and 2024, reaching 25.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, .
- Doctors report a sharp increase in complications, including more premature births, a 44% rise in uterine ruptures, and dangerous spikes in C-section rates鈥攗p to 46% in frontline regions like Kherson.
- Last week, a maternity hospital in Kherson was attacked, further compromising severely strained medical services,
- Power outages and supply shortages further contribute to rising risks.
- That has led to fears of population collapse, with the country鈥檚 population plummeting from 42 million in 2022 to a projected 25 million by 2051.
- Such hubs are staffed with community nurses, dentists, gynecologists, and other specialists, and offer workshops on topics like nutrition, stress, and obesity.
In yesterday鈥檚 GHN, in a story about the , we referred to the disease as a virus, but cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. We regret the error. Thanks to Hasanain Odhar for pointing out the mistake! ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Will This Christmas Kill 鈥楲ast Christmas鈥? Think of it as 鈥攂ut for a Christmas song. And no one gets rich. After decades of relentless overplay from Halloween til Christmas, a group of pals in Europe has organized the masses in a takedown of the loathed holiday track.
The first rule of Whamageddon: . Us versus the airwaves: Refereed only by the honor system, players
must publicly forfeit themselves if they鈥檙e 鈥渉it鈥 by the signature synth. WHAMbushing others is a no-no and radio hosts, who can send countless players to dreaded 鈥淲hamhalla鈥 with a single play, Full disclosure: Until now, we actually didn鈥檛 realize we were supposed to hate the song and are now trying to catch up. If you鈥檙e in the same boat, of its 鈥渋nanity鈥 and narrative incoherence. But we will say: If making sense is how this YouTube scrooge rates music, we鈥檇 love to hear his take on QUICK HITS The fight to beat neglected tropical diseases was going well. 2025 could change that 鈥 Meta shuts down global accounts linked to abortion advice and queer content 鈥 U.S. mass killings drop to 20-year low. Some policy shifts might be helping. 鈥 EU officials acted to aid tobacco giant abroad, documents show 鈥 Climate Change Is an Information Crisis; Public Health Already Knows How to Fight Those 鈥 Japan turns to AI, robot caregivers to tackle dementia crisis 鈥 Issue No. 2836
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: COVID Vaccines鈥 Safety Confirmed Amid U.S. Scrutiny; and How to Read a Scientific Study
December 10, 2025
TOP STORIES
In DRC鈥檚 worst cholera outbreak in 25 years, children account for nearly a quarter of the 64,427 total cases so far this year; in 鈥渙ne of the most tragic鈥 instances, 16 of 62 children died when the virus swept through a Kinshasa orphanage.
The first single-dose dengue vaccine has been approved for use in Brazil; the shot, Butantan-DV, protects against four strains of dengue and will initially be given to 1 million people in January.
Children exposed to extreme heat are less likely to meet basic developmental milestones than children living nearby in cooler areas, ; low-income children are especially vulnerable.
Civicus downgraded from 鈥渘arrowed鈥 to 鈥渙bstructed,鈥 citing a 鈥渟harp deterioration of fundamental freedoms in the country鈥 this year and placing the U.S. in the same classification as 39 other countries including Hungary, Brazil, and South Africa. IN FOCUS People waiting to receive a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Clermont-Tonnerre military hospital in Brest, France. April 6, 2021. Loic Venance/AFP via Getty COVID Vaccines鈥 Safety Confirmed Amid U.S. Scrutiny A major French study is offering one of the clearest looks yet at the long-term safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, concluding that the vaccines did not increase mortality rates in France, .
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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The first single-dose dengue vaccine has been approved for use in Brazil; the shot, Butantan-DV, protects against four strains of dengue and will initially be given to 1 million people in January.
Children exposed to extreme heat are less likely to meet basic developmental milestones than children living nearby in cooler areas, ; low-income children are especially vulnerable.
Civicus downgraded from 鈥渘arrowed鈥 to 鈥渙bstructed,鈥 citing a 鈥渟harp deterioration of fundamental freedoms in the country鈥 this year and placing the U.S. in the same classification as 39 other countries including Hungary, Brazil, and South Africa. IN FOCUS People waiting to receive a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Clermont-Tonnerre military hospital in Brest, France. April 6, 2021. Loic Venance/AFP via Getty COVID Vaccines鈥 Safety Confirmed Amid U.S. Scrutiny A major French study is offering one of the clearest looks yet at the long-term safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, concluding that the vaccines did not increase mortality rates in France, .
- The research arrives amid renewed debate of the vaccines鈥 safety in the U.S. sparked by an FDA memo that alleged vaccine-related deaths鈥攃laims rejected by former FDA leaders and unsupported by data.
- The team tracked all causes of death for four years鈥攆ar longer than most prior studies.
- Prasad also said he plans to implement tighter vaccine-approval standards, though it is unclear what data sources the FDA is using to assess the safety of the vaccines or the approval process, .
- How can nonscientists avoid falling for oversimplification, distortion, or manipulation?
- Eye the essentials: Know the journal and its quality; understand the abstract section; look at the introduction to understand the study鈥檚 purpose, and read the discussion section to learn more about how to interpret the study.
- Consider possible limitations, including sample size, participant demographics, and what needs further study.
- Distinguish between correlation and causation.
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Polio: An Influx of Cash鈥攁nd a Funding Shortfall
December 9, 2025
TOP STORIES
A hospital and kindergarten in Sudan came under drone strikes last week, killing 114 people, including 63 children; 35 were injured, many of whom tried to get victims to the hospital, according to the WHO; Sudan officials attributed the Kalogi massacre to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a group responsible for other atrocities in Sudan鈥檚 civil war.
Countries must jointly enact policies and fund programs against climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, and pollution, ; the report, based on the work of 287 scientists, calls for unprecedented transformation of government, the financial sector, and industry.
A multidrug-resistant bacterial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract is prevalent worldwide, ; carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales often precedes infections in critically ill hospital patients.
Returning to school after the COVID-19 pandemic improved children鈥檚 mental health, according to a California-based study that found kids鈥 probability of being diagnosed with a mental health condition dropped 43% nine months after school reopening compared to pre-opening levels. IN FOCUS A child is vaccinated against polio by Thane Municipal Corporation Health Department on December 8, 2024, in Mumbai, India. Praful Gangurde/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Polio: An Influx of Cash鈥攁nd a Funding Shortfall
International donors committed to $1.9 billion against polio yesterday, but is it enough?
4.6 billion
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌
The estimated number of people worldwide who still lack access to essential health services; while countries have advanced toward universal health coverage, major challenges remain. 鈥
HEALTH SYSTEMS A Health Care Breakdown in a Health Care Town
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital is southwest Georgia鈥檚 largest health provider鈥攂ut also the region鈥檚 dominant employer and economic power center.
And yet: Locals describe a system fraught with access limitations, poor outcomes, high prices, and fractured care鈥攊ncluding dismissive treatment reported by uninsured residents.
Inflection point: When the region became one of the nation鈥檚 first COVID-19 hot spots in 2020, the crisis exposed frayed relationships between the hospital and the community, especially poor and Black residents who suffered the worst outcomes.
Bigger picture: The more hospitals operate as behemoth businesses, 鈥渢he fewer incentives there are to lower costs or improve quality and the less communities can do about either.鈥
QUICK HITS More Americans refusing vitamin K shots for newborns, new study finds 鈥 Warning issued after new mpox strain identified in England 鈥 Why Some Doctors Say There Are Cancers That Shouldn鈥檛 Be Treated 鈥 Surprise! Your health care provider added a fee for that questionnaire you filled out 鈥
Zimbabwe鈥檚 only female heart surgeon on medicine, misogyny and making a difference 鈥 Issue No. 2834
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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Countries must jointly enact policies and fund programs against climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, and pollution, ; the report, based on the work of 287 scientists, calls for unprecedented transformation of government, the financial sector, and industry.
A multidrug-resistant bacterial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract is prevalent worldwide, ; carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales often precedes infections in critically ill hospital patients.
Returning to school after the COVID-19 pandemic improved children鈥檚 mental health, according to a California-based study that found kids鈥 probability of being diagnosed with a mental health condition dropped 43% nine months after school reopening compared to pre-opening levels. IN FOCUS A child is vaccinated against polio by Thane Municipal Corporation Health Department on December 8, 2024, in Mumbai, India. Praful Gangurde/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Polio: An Influx of Cash鈥攁nd a Funding Shortfall
International donors committed to $1.9 billion against polio yesterday, but is it enough?
- The funds will be used to vaccinate 370 million children against polio each year as well as build up health systems, (GPEI).
- The Gates Foundation pledged $1.2 billion, and Rotary International committed to $450 million, .
Shortfall: Despite the pledges, there鈥檚 still a $440 million gap in support for GPEI through 2029.
- The U.K., Germany, and other countries have pulled back plans for development assistance and health funding in 2026, and U.S. support for polio efforts is unclear for 2026.
- GPEI expects to cut its budget by 30% next year because of the global retreat in foreign aid, .
The Quote: Without the full $6.9 billion needed for GPEI鈥檚 strategy, 鈥渃hildren will be left unprotected against polio,鈥 GPEI spokesperson Ally Rogers told CNN.
Polio memories: , the University of Toronto Mississauga鈥檚 Madeleine Mant interviewed 65 people who had polio between 1941 and 1977. Their message: Young people shouldn鈥檛 have to experience polio or other vaccine-preventable diseases, .
Related: Bill Gates renews call to eradicate polio and malaria with UAE as key partner 鈥
4.6 billion
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌
The estimated number of people worldwide who still lack access to essential health services; while countries have advanced toward universal health coverage, major challenges remain. 鈥
HEALTH SYSTEMS A Health Care Breakdown in a Health Care Town
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital is southwest Georgia鈥檚 largest health provider鈥攂ut also the region鈥檚 dominant employer and economic power center.
And yet: Locals describe a system fraught with access limitations, poor outcomes, high prices, and fractured care鈥攊ncluding dismissive treatment reported by uninsured residents.
Inflection point: When the region became one of the nation鈥檚 first COVID-19 hot spots in 2020, the crisis exposed frayed relationships between the hospital and the community, especially poor and Black residents who suffered the worst outcomes.
Bigger picture: The more hospitals operate as behemoth businesses, 鈥渢he fewer incentives there are to lower costs or improve quality and the less communities can do about either.鈥
QUICK HITS More Americans refusing vitamin K shots for newborns, new study finds 鈥 Warning issued after new mpox strain identified in England 鈥 Why Some Doctors Say There Are Cancers That Shouldn鈥檛 Be Treated 鈥 Surprise! Your health care provider added a fee for that questionnaire you filled out 鈥
Zimbabwe鈥檚 only female heart surgeon on medicine, misogyny and making a difference 鈥 Issue No. 2834
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: The Hepatitis B Vote: A Pivotal Moment for U.S. Vaccine Policy
December 8, 2025
TOP STORIES
20+ babies in Hungary have died of maternally contracted syphilis, and 63 cases have been confirmed in the country this year as syphilis cases increase worldwide.
2 MERS cases have been reported in France; both patients had been on the same trip to the Arabian Peninsula; no secondary transmission has been detected.
Kenya signed a $2.5 billion, five-year agreement to accept U.S. funding to help fight infectious diseases, becoming the first country to sign a deal aligned with the Trump administration鈥檚 foreign policy goals; the agreement sparked concerns about the security of sensitive health data.
Environmental advocates in Canada are pushing for a moratorium on the use of glyphosate, the key ingredient in RoundUp, after a 25-year-old foundational research paper on the herbicide鈥檚 safety was following revelations that RoundUp鈥檚 maker, Monsanto, may have helped produce the paper. IN FOCUS Members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the CDC headquarters. Atlanta, Georgia, December 5. Megan Varner/Bloomberg via Getty The Hepatitis B Vote: A Pivotal Moment for U.S. Vaccine Policy It鈥檚 a tectonic shift in U.S. immunization policy: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted Friday to withdraw a long-standing recommendation that newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccination at birth.
Australia this week, prompting platforms like Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube to deactivate hundreds of thousands of accounts, .
Faulty glucose monitors linked to 7 deaths and more than 700 injuries, FDA warns 鈥
'Very concerning': Opioids for sickle cell pain often not administered fast enough in ED 鈥
How the new H-1B visa fee is upending health care in rural America 鈥 Editors鈥 pick 2025: Our favourite essays and longform stories on public health in South Africa 鈥 Ashish Jha to leave Brown University School of Public Health 鈥 鈥極ne bite and he was hooked鈥: from Kenya to Nepal, how parents are battling ultra-processed foods 鈥 Issue No. 2833
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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2 MERS cases have been reported in France; both patients had been on the same trip to the Arabian Peninsula; no secondary transmission has been detected.
Kenya signed a $2.5 billion, five-year agreement to accept U.S. funding to help fight infectious diseases, becoming the first country to sign a deal aligned with the Trump administration鈥檚 foreign policy goals; the agreement sparked concerns about the security of sensitive health data.
Environmental advocates in Canada are pushing for a moratorium on the use of glyphosate, the key ingredient in RoundUp, after a 25-year-old foundational research paper on the herbicide鈥檚 safety was following revelations that RoundUp鈥檚 maker, Monsanto, may have helped produce the paper. IN FOCUS Members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the CDC headquarters. Atlanta, Georgia, December 5. Megan Varner/Bloomberg via Getty The Hepatitis B Vote: A Pivotal Moment for U.S. Vaccine Policy It鈥檚 a tectonic shift in U.S. immunization policy: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted Friday to withdraw a long-standing recommendation that newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccination at birth.
- The decision was made without new evidence and against the strong consensus of medical groups that the change puts children at unnecessary risk, .
- But the vaccine鈥檚 safety is well established, , which outlines the history of the shot, its timing, and its role in bringing down infections in young people by 99%.
- President Trump Friday, urging health officials to review the entire childhood vaccine schedule, calling the U.S. an 鈥渙utlier,鈥 .
- But states are already pushing back against ACIP鈥檚 recommendation: New York , and Ohio officials .
Australia this week, prompting platforms like Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube to deactivate hundreds of thousands of accounts, .
- Other governments worldwide are watching the move, which Australian officials call the 鈥渇irst domino鈥 in such regulation.
- A 鈥渓ayered safety approach,鈥 including AI-informed age detection, activity-pattern analysis, and mandatory age verification.
- Protections to block circumvention attempts, and parent reporting.
- Fines of up to $49.5 million for platforms.
Faulty glucose monitors linked to 7 deaths and more than 700 injuries, FDA warns 鈥
'Very concerning': Opioids for sickle cell pain often not administered fast enough in ED 鈥
How the new H-1B visa fee is upending health care in rural America 鈥 Editors鈥 pick 2025: Our favourite essays and longform stories on public health in South Africa 鈥 Ashish Jha to leave Brown University School of Public Health 鈥 鈥極ne bite and he was hooked鈥: from Kenya to Nepal, how parents are battling ultra-processed foods 鈥 Issue No. 2833
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Child Deaths Are Rising鈥擜nd Avoidable
December 4, 2025
TOP STORIES
Baby formula in the U.K. will soon be purchasable using supermarket loyalty points and vouchers, as government officials seek affordability solutions in the face of dramatically increasing formula costs.
A 鈥減re-pandemic鈥 plan to address bird flu risks has been shared with EU health officials by the European CDC, which is urging increased surveillance and hospital capacity as H5N1 spreads in birds and as risk of mutation and human spread grows.
A single HPV vaccination could be as effective as two doses to prevent the virus that causes cervical cancer, finds a new U.S. National Cancer Institute-led , which enrolled more than 20,000 girls and tracked them for five years.
The vaccine advisory panel to the U.S. CDC is expected to vote later today on whether to abandon the universal hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for newborns; posted online late Wednesday suggest a shift to 鈥渋ndividual-based decision-making鈥 for the newborn shot and a recommendation to delay administering the vaccine until babies are 2 months old. IN FOCUS Denish Odule, a Village Health Team officer, takes a blood sample to do a malaria rapid diagnostic test, in Apac District, Uganda, on April 7. Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images Child Deaths Are Rising鈥擜nd Avoidable
Global child mortality is projected to rise for the first time this century, as countries and major donors cut foundational health funding and as diseases like malaria gain a stronger foothold, find two major reports released this week by the Gates Foundation and the WHO.
Mercury will no longer be used as a key ingredient in dental fillings, after countries agreed to phase out its usage at COP-6 last month.
is accepting applications for a (February 16鈥揂pril 27, 2026), designed for anyone interested in learning more about humanitarian leadership, whether they鈥檙e new to the sector or are seasoned humanitarian professionals.
鈥淐hatGPT, design me a massive holiday mural that鈥檚 less festive and more epic hellscape.鈥
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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A 鈥減re-pandemic鈥 plan to address bird flu risks has been shared with EU health officials by the European CDC, which is urging increased surveillance and hospital capacity as H5N1 spreads in birds and as risk of mutation and human spread grows.
A single HPV vaccination could be as effective as two doses to prevent the virus that causes cervical cancer, finds a new U.S. National Cancer Institute-led , which enrolled more than 20,000 girls and tracked them for five years.
The vaccine advisory panel to the U.S. CDC is expected to vote later today on whether to abandon the universal hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for newborns; posted online late Wednesday suggest a shift to 鈥渋ndividual-based decision-making鈥 for the newborn shot and a recommendation to delay administering the vaccine until babies are 2 months old. IN FOCUS Denish Odule, a Village Health Team officer, takes a blood sample to do a malaria rapid diagnostic test, in Apac District, Uganda, on April 7. Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images Child Deaths Are Rising鈥擜nd Avoidable
Global child mortality is projected to rise for the first time this century, as countries and major donors cut foundational health funding and as diseases like malaria gain a stronger foothold, find two major reports released this week by the Gates Foundation and the WHO.
- 鈥淚t is 100% avoidable. There is no reason why those children should be dying,鈥 said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation, which released its annual yesterday.
Deaths of children under age 5 are expected to reach 4.8 million in 2025, per that report, which is ~200,000 more than last year, And further aid reductions of 20%鈥30% could lead to 12鈥16 million additional child deaths by 2045.
Malaria鈥檚 mounting toll: Meanwhile, young children made up the greatest share of ~610,000 deaths in 2024, 鈥攁n increase from 2023, which does not account for 2025 funding cuts, .
- Many of the deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa, as funding shortfalls stall progress and as rising drug resistance and climate change threaten resurgence, warned WHO leaders, .
Clear solutions: Well-established solutions like improved primary health care and routine immunizations are the 鈥渂est bet鈥 at strengthening protections for children鈥攊f they can be funded.
- 鈥淲e could be the generation who had access to the most advanced science and innovation in human history鈥攂ut couldn鈥檛 get the funding together to ensure it saved lives,鈥 said Bill Gates.
Related: Over 5,000 Ugandans Died of Malaria in 2024 as WHO Warns of Rising Drug Resistance 鈥
GHN EXCLUSIVE REPORT Phasing Out Mercury FillingsMercury will no longer be used as a key ingredient in dental fillings, after countries agreed to phase out its usage at COP-6 last month.
Background: While mercury-based dental amalgams have been used for 150 years, more countries have begun banning the metal鈥檚 usage as its harmful environmental and health impacts come to light.
The rollback: In the agreement, countries pledged to phase out mercury by 2034.
- After years of debate, the decision was carried over the finish line by late backing from the WHO, Brazil, and the U.S.鈥攚hich reversed its longstanding opposition to a ban.
OPPORTUNITY Calling All Humanitarians
is accepting applications for a (February 16鈥揂pril 27, 2026), designed for anyone interested in learning more about humanitarian leadership, whether they鈥檙e new to the sector or are seasoned humanitarian professionals.
- To keep the program accessible to people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, attendees are asked to 鈥減ay what they can鈥 for participation.
- Deadline: January 30, 2026
鈥淐hatGPT, design me a massive holiday mural that鈥檚 less festive and more epic hellscape.鈥
Something like this, surely, was the AI prompt behind the in an otherwise-charming London suburb.
Because 鈥測ou know what鈥檚 Christmassy? A snowman with a [expletive] eye on his cheek,鈥 .
Reportedly 鈥渃ommissioned鈥 by a Kingston upon Thames building landlord, 鈥攂ut was giving Hieronymus Bosch.
Yet somehow, it was still a gift鈥攁 horror to look at, but a joy to put into words:
- 鈥淭he disturbing scene appeared to contain large troops of men with misshapen bodies and contorted faces attempting to skate over shallow, foamy waters. Elsewhere, groups filled an infeasibly large wooden boat. Heavily-disfigured dogs bounded about, some appearing to transmogrify into birds,鈥 .
If this description turns out to be AI-generated, well, we鈥檒l just cry.
QUICK HITS Congo hosts Africa鈥檚 first simulation exercise on antimicrobial resistance surveillance 鈥 Researchers slightly lower study鈥檚 estimate of drop in global income due to climate change 鈥 A dozen former FDA commissioners condemn plan to tighten vaccine approvals 鈥 FDA names Tracy Beth H酶eg, fresh from vaccine safety probe, as acting head of drug center 鈥 WHO launches new, unified plan for countries to manage coronaviruses: COVID-19 and beyond 鈥 Issue No. 2832Global 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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: A New Era for GLP-1 Drugs; and The Toxic Toll of Battery Recycling
December 3, 2025
TOP STORIES
Every 3 minutes
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌
A child dies of tuberculosis鈥攁mounting to ~175,000 deaths among children in 2024 from a disease we have the tools to diagnose, prevent, and cure. 鈥
POLLUTION 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.
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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Nearly one in five child deaths worldwide is linked to growth failure, with ~1 million children failing to reach their fifth birthday each year due to devastating health impacts, , which recorded the most deaths in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
UK support for a key anti-FGM program will end next year, a major step back for the country after years of leading global efforts to stop female genital mutilation; the move will defund the 10+-year-old initiative, The Girl Generation, which supports grassroots organizations trying to end FGM.
A U.S. vaccine advisory committee convening later this week appears likely to delay hepatitis B shots routinely administered to newborns and may broadly revise the use of other vaccines, based on preliminary comments by officials.
A special type of immune cell plays an essential role in the tiny percentage of HIV patients who achieve a 鈥渇unctional cure,鈥 allowing them to live for years without taking antiretroviral drugs; the discovery by two independent groups of scientists signals a possible new path in the search for a cure.
Every 3 minutes
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌
A child dies of tuberculosis鈥攁mounting to ~175,000 deaths among children in 2024 from a disease we have the tools to diagnose, prevent, and cure. 鈥
POLLUTION 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, .
- Repeatedly, they and battery companies opted not to act when warned of the dangers鈥攅xcluding lead from environmental policies and blocking advocates鈥 attempts to intervene.
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Dispensing 鈥楩ree Chances at Life鈥: Public Health Vending Machines Are More Than a Novelty
December 2, 2025
TOP STORIES
As the overdose crisis swept across the U.S., it became clear to those working in harm reduction that to stem the crisis, the barrier to accessing naloxone had to be lowered.
In recent years, more and more that dispense free doses of the lifesaving overdose reversal medication and often, a range of other harm reduction products including sharps containers and wound care kits.
The machines are part of a 鈥渘ew guard鈥 of approaches to an overdose crisis that demanded broader, more accessible services that can reach people who might not use traditional health services and allow users to remain anonymous, says Rosemarie Martin of UMass Chan Medical School.
Promising results: Research shows products in the machines are, indeed, helping to save lives. Since 2021, naloxone dispensed by one machine in Cincinnati has helped reverse 5,000 overdoses, according to University of Cincinnati researchers tracking its use.
A shifting response: Overdoses in the US are declining overall, and concerted efforts to de-stigmatize and expand access to harm reduction products deserve some credit for that, says Martin. But access to low-barrier harm reduction tools remains uneven across the country鈥攁nd it鈥檚 unclear how well these interventions will be funded long-term, says Martin. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we celebrate the wins 鈥 but there鈥檚 a lot of work to do.鈥 GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MEASLES Warnings and Wins in WHO Update
The WHO warned of rising measles cases across the globe, even as it recognizes major progress in combating the disease over the last 25 years, in a . Significant strides: Globally, measles deaths have fallen 88% since 2000, and 96 countries have now eliminated measles, .
Racial bias in medicine can be as simple as dismissing Black patients as a 鈥榟ard stick鈥 鈥 Stunning new 3D images reveal yellow fever鈥檚 hidden structure 鈥 Issue No. 2830
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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More than 1,250 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have been killed in floods and landslides following two recent cyclones and a typhoon; 1.1 million people have been displaced in Sri Lanka alone.
Ethiopia鈥檚 Marburg virus outbreak has now claimed eight lives total, after authorities reported three new deaths yesterday; 12 cases have been confirmed in southern Ethiopia since mid-November.
A New Jersey faith-based pregnancy center will appear before the Supreme Court today to fight a prosecutor鈥檚 subpoena demanding donor information; the prosecutor is investigating whether First Choice Women鈥檚 Resource Centers misled clients to discourage abortions.
A gene in avian flu viruses protects them against heat generated by a human鈥檚 fever, essentially neutralizing one of the body鈥檚 prime defenses; higher temps even help the viruses replicate, according to Cambridge and Glasgow university scientists.
IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE A public health vending machine at the Deadwood Tavern, in Iowa City. Ben Mummey Dispensing 鈥楩ree Chances at Life鈥As the overdose crisis swept across the U.S., it became clear to those working in harm reduction that to stem the crisis, the barrier to accessing naloxone had to be lowered.
In recent years, more and more that dispense free doses of the lifesaving overdose reversal medication and often, a range of other harm reduction products including sharps containers and wound care kits.
The machines are part of a 鈥渘ew guard鈥 of approaches to an overdose crisis that demanded broader, more accessible services that can reach people who might not use traditional health services and allow users to remain anonymous, says Rosemarie Martin of UMass Chan Medical School.
Promising results: Research shows products in the machines are, indeed, helping to save lives. Since 2021, naloxone dispensed by one machine in Cincinnati has helped reverse 5,000 overdoses, according to University of Cincinnati researchers tracking its use.
A shifting response: Overdoses in the US are declining overall, and concerted efforts to de-stigmatize and expand access to harm reduction products deserve some credit for that, says Martin. But access to low-barrier harm reduction tools remains uneven across the country鈥攁nd it鈥檚 unclear how well these interventions will be funded long-term, says Martin. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we celebrate the wins 鈥 but there鈥檚 a lot of work to do.鈥 GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MEASLES Warnings and Wins in WHO Update
The WHO warned of rising measles cases across the globe, even as it recognizes major progress in combating the disease over the last 25 years, in a . Significant strides: Globally, measles deaths have fallen 88% since 2000, and 96 countries have now eliminated measles, .
- The number of children vaccinated against measles is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels.
- 59 countries faced major outbreaks last year, nearly triple the 2021 total.
Racial bias in medicine can be as simple as dismissing Black patients as a 鈥榟ard stick鈥 鈥 Stunning new 3D images reveal yellow fever鈥檚 hidden structure 鈥 Issue No. 2830
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: AIDS Response 鈥榓t a Crossroads鈥
December 1, 2025
TOP STORIES
Famine conditions in Nigeria are returning for the first time in a decade amid growing extremist violence, the World Food Programme has warned, with ~15,000 people in the northern Borno State facing 鈥渃atastrophic hunger鈥 during the 2026 lean season, and ~35,000 facing severe food insecurity.
DRC鈥檚 Ebola outbreak has ended, after passing 42 consecutive days with no new cases recorded, the country鈥檚 health ministry announced today; out of 64 total cases since the outbreak鈥檚 September 4 start, 45 people died and 19 recovered.
Nearly half of landmine victims are children, , with many children injured or killed while searching for scrap metal, tending animals, and cultivating crops; 6,279 casualties were reported in 2024, with Burma the most dangerous country for such accidents. The U.S. FDA鈥檚 top vaccine regulator, Vinay Prasad, proposed broad changes to vaccine trial protocols in a Friday memo, claiming that a new review links 10 children鈥檚 deaths to the COVID vaccine; doctors and public health experts questioned the findings absent proof or peer review. IN FOCUS Nepali activists hold a candlelight vigil on the eve of AIDS Day. Kathmandu, Nepal, November 30. Sanjit Pariyar/NurPhoto via Getty AIDS Response 鈥榓t a Crossroads鈥 In the face of severe disruptions to the fight against HIV/AIDS, governments on this World AIDS Day to expand access to new prevention tools鈥攅specially the twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir (LEN). 鈥楧evastating impact鈥 of aid cuts: Already, the impact of major international aid funding cuts this year by the U.S., the U.K., and Europe is being felt, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, .
Presidential HIV council warns proposed cuts could reverse decades of progress 鈥 The U.S. government's failure to acknowledge World AIDS Day takes us back to a troubling time 鈥 Drug vending machines revolutionise fight against HIV in Sao Paulo 鈥 EDITOR'S NOTE Virtual Global Health Week Want to learn more about global health? Curious about public health communications, food security, corruption in health, AI in global health, and other topics? Join sponsored by the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, running tomorrow through Thursday. The live webinars are free and open to the public. If you鈥檙e interested in the consequences of U.S. foreign aid cuts, please join the on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. I鈥檒l be joining journalists Molly Knight Raskin, Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman, and Joanne Cavanaugh Simpson on this Pulitzer Center panel. 鈥Brian OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Twenty-year study shows cleaner water slashes cancer and heart disease deaths 鈥
Doctor Critical of Vaccines Quietly Appointed as C.D.C.鈥檚 Second in Command 鈥
No soap, no tents, no food: Rohingya families fight for survival as aid plummets 鈥
Uranium detected in breast milk of Indian mothers 鈥
The Undermining of the C.D.C. 鈥
Egypt triumphs over centuries-old fight against trachoma 鈥 New FDA-approved glasses can slow nearsightedness in kids 鈥 Issue No. 2829
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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DRC鈥檚 Ebola outbreak has ended, after passing 42 consecutive days with no new cases recorded, the country鈥檚 health ministry announced today; out of 64 total cases since the outbreak鈥檚 September 4 start, 45 people died and 19 recovered.
Nearly half of landmine victims are children, , with many children injured or killed while searching for scrap metal, tending animals, and cultivating crops; 6,279 casualties were reported in 2024, with Burma the most dangerous country for such accidents. The U.S. FDA鈥檚 top vaccine regulator, Vinay Prasad, proposed broad changes to vaccine trial protocols in a Friday memo, claiming that a new review links 10 children鈥檚 deaths to the COVID vaccine; doctors and public health experts questioned the findings absent proof or peer review. IN FOCUS Nepali activists hold a candlelight vigil on the eve of AIDS Day. Kathmandu, Nepal, November 30. Sanjit Pariyar/NurPhoto via Getty AIDS Response 鈥榓t a Crossroads鈥 In the face of severe disruptions to the fight against HIV/AIDS, governments on this World AIDS Day to expand access to new prevention tools鈥攅specially the twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir (LEN). 鈥楧evastating impact鈥 of aid cuts: Already, the impact of major international aid funding cuts this year by the U.S., the U.K., and Europe is being felt, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, .
- The cuts have led to the closure of clinics and outreach centers worldwide, and left ~2.5 million people without PrEP. And 1.3 million new infections have been recorded鈥攄isproportionately among key populations, .
Presidential HIV council warns proposed cuts could reverse decades of progress 鈥 The U.S. government's failure to acknowledge World AIDS Day takes us back to a troubling time 鈥 Drug vending machines revolutionise fight against HIV in Sao Paulo 鈥 EDITOR'S NOTE Virtual Global Health Week Want to learn more about global health? Curious about public health communications, food security, corruption in health, AI in global health, and other topics? Join sponsored by the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, running tomorrow through Thursday. The live webinars are free and open to the public. If you鈥檙e interested in the consequences of U.S. foreign aid cuts, please join the on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. I鈥檒l be joining journalists Molly Knight Raskin, Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman, and Joanne Cavanaugh Simpson on this Pulitzer Center panel. 鈥Brian OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Twenty-year study shows cleaner water slashes cancer and heart disease deaths 鈥
Doctor Critical of Vaccines Quietly Appointed as C.D.C.鈥檚 Second in Command 鈥
No soap, no tents, no food: Rohingya families fight for survival as aid plummets 鈥
Uranium detected in breast milk of Indian mothers 鈥
The Undermining of the C.D.C. 鈥
Egypt triumphs over centuries-old fight against trachoma 鈥 New FDA-approved glasses can slow nearsightedness in kids 鈥 Issue No. 2829
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Inside India鈥檚 Funding Failure in Rare Genetic Disease Care
November 25, 2025
TOP STORIES
Taps are running dry across Iran; if rain doesn鈥檛 come soon, Tehran鈥檚 10 million people may be forced to evacuate amid the country鈥檚 worst water crisis in decades鈥攂lamed on mismanagement of natural resources exacerbated by climate change.
Semaglutide fell short in 鈥渉otly anticipated鈥 Alzheimer鈥檚 trials, deflating hopes that anti-obesity drugs could delay the progression of neurodegenerative diseases鈥攂ut the research could yield clues about potential anti-inflammatory and preventive effects.
A Gavi-UNICEF deal to cut the price of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine鈥攖o under $3 a dose鈥攃ould protect 7 million additional children by 2030; 21 countries have rolled out the vaccine since its introduction in 2024.
A simple, scalable hospital program improved hand hygiene, sped up sepsis treatment, and reduced severe maternal infections by 32%, that demonstrates the lifesaving potential of small interventions even in resource-limited settings.
EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE
Thanksgiving Break
GHN will not be publishing for the rest of this week for the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. We鈥檒l be back in your email box on Monday, December 1, with more news!
+ Important update: We heard that the form for the closed prematurely for a spell yesterday, ahead of the 11:59 pm deadline. We are sorry if that affected you, and to make up for it, we will accept entries through Monday, December 1. Thanks to everyone who has already entered! 鈥Dayna
IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE REPORT
People pass by Mumbai鈥檚 King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, one of India鈥檚 13 centers of excellence in rare disease care. Jan. 28, 2017. Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty
Inside India鈥檚 Funding Failure in Rare Genetic Disease Care
When India launched a rare genetic disease policy in 2021, it was hailed as a turning point in medical care for afflicted by such diseases.
But thousands of children across India have waited for medicines鈥攁nd some have died鈥攁s the government鈥檚 best intentions have been unraveled by red tape, withheld funds, and lengthy court battles, .
Two main issues:
The Quote: 鈥淭he policy is a fragmented patchwork,鈥 says Archana Panda, co-founder of CureSMA India, a spinal muscular atrophy NGO. 鈥淲ithout a permanent national fund and insurance integration, India鈥檚 rare disease framework will keep collapsing under its own weight.鈥 THE QUOTE
"We鈥re seeing a massive level of loss." 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺 Atul Gawande, former USAID assistant administrator for Global Health, on the consequences of U.S. government aid cuts. 鈥 NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES Is Extreme Heat Driving an 鈥楨pidemic鈥 of Kidney Disease? Over the last two decades, researchers have seen a surge of kidney disease among a demographic not typically at risk for the ailment: young, otherwise healthy outdoor workers who don't have diabetes or genetic risk factors. The condition has been dubbed CKDu鈥攃hronic kidney disease of unknown causes鈥攂ut researchers say an underlying cause is increasingly evident: extreme heat and chronic dehydration, writes journalist Carrie Arnold, reporting from El Salvador鈥檚 Pacific coast. Far-reaching crisis, few resources: Increasing rates of CKDu have been reported across Central America and among Nepalese migrants who worked in the Middle East.
A bowhead whale's DNA offers clues to fight cancer 鈥 Issue No. 2828
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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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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When India launched a rare genetic disease policy in 2021, it was hailed as a turning point in medical care for afflicted by such diseases.
But thousands of children across India have waited for medicines鈥攁nd some have died鈥攁s the government鈥檚 best intentions have been unraveled by red tape, withheld funds, and lengthy court battles, .
Two main issues:
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approves only about 30% of funding requests.
- Patients who do receive funding find that expensive medicines can quickly run through the government鈥檚 $60,000 per patient spending cap.
- Her father, Yogesh Kajabe, a farm laborer, sold his only piece of land and borrowed $6,000 to keep her alive. Each of the two monthly injections she needed cost $1,200.
The Quote: 鈥淭he policy is a fragmented patchwork,鈥 says Archana Panda, co-founder of CureSMA India, a spinal muscular atrophy NGO. 鈥淲ithout a permanent national fund and insurance integration, India鈥檚 rare disease framework will keep collapsing under its own weight.鈥 THE QUOTE
"We鈥re seeing a massive level of loss." 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺 Atul Gawande, former USAID assistant administrator for Global Health, on the consequences of U.S. government aid cuts. 鈥 NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES Is Extreme Heat Driving an 鈥楨pidemic鈥 of Kidney Disease? Over the last two decades, researchers have seen a surge of kidney disease among a demographic not typically at risk for the ailment: young, otherwise healthy outdoor workers who don't have diabetes or genetic risk factors. The condition has been dubbed CKDu鈥攃hronic kidney disease of unknown causes鈥攂ut researchers say an underlying cause is increasingly evident: extreme heat and chronic dehydration, writes journalist Carrie Arnold, reporting from El Salvador鈥檚 Pacific coast. Far-reaching crisis, few resources: Increasing rates of CKDu have been reported across Central America and among Nepalese migrants who worked in the Middle East.
- Many workers struggle to access needed dialysis and medications.
A bowhead whale's DNA offers clues to fight cancer 鈥 Issue No. 2828
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 .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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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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Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Roots and Ramifications of Romania鈥檚 Measles Crisis; and Ghana鈥檚 Dangerously Packed Prisons
November 24, 2025
TOP STORIES
Five people have now died in Ethiopia鈥檚 Marburg virus outbreak, per a Saturday Ministry of Health update that also placed the confirmed case count at 10 and the case fatality rate at 50%.
HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria control 鈥渉angs in the balance鈥 after a significant shortfall in donations to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria following the G20 summit; of the organization鈥檚 $18 billion budget, just $11.3 billion has been confirmed.
Farm and animal-related workers are being urged by European authorities to get vaccinated for the flu to prevent human and bird influenza strains from genetically mixing, as the region braces for one of the most severe flu seasons in 10+ years.
94% of lung cancer cases in the U.S. could be detected if screening were made available for Americans between the ages of 40 and 85鈥攁nd ~26,000 deaths could be prevented per year even if just 30% were screened (and separate from on lung cancer screening published last week). IN FOCUS Roots and Ramifications of Romania鈥檚 Measles Crisis Romania has the lowest measles vaccination rate in the EU, with just two-thirds of people fully vaccinated. The consequences: 30,000+ measles cases and 23 deaths were recorded in 2024, including five infants. Global warning: The country鈥檚 contracting coverage over 30+ years offers critical insights for other countries watching their vaccination rates plummet, global health experts say.
Ghana鈥檚 extremely overcrowded prisons are fueling the spread of TB, measles, and a range of neglected tropical diseases, clinicians warn. By the numbers: The average occupancy rate for Ghana鈥檚 43 prisons is 137%.
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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94% of lung cancer cases in the U.S. could be detected if screening were made available for Americans between the ages of 40 and 85鈥攁nd ~26,000 deaths could be prevented per year even if just 30% were screened (and separate from on lung cancer screening published last week). IN FOCUS Roots and Ramifications of Romania鈥檚 Measles Crisis Romania has the lowest measles vaccination rate in the EU, with just two-thirds of people fully vaccinated. The consequences: 30,000+ measles cases and 23 deaths were recorded in 2024, including five infants. Global warning: The country鈥檚 contracting coverage over 30+ years offers critical insights for other countries watching their vaccination rates plummet, global health experts say.
- "The outbreaks aren't only a matter of poverty and not understanding the importance of immunization. It's multifactorial,鈥 said Mihai Craiu, a pediatrician at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
- Historic backlash: Vaccines were mandatory under Romania鈥檚 Communist regime, leading to widespread mistrust of immunizations after the country鈥檚 post-1989 shift to democracy.
- Further flashpoints: In 2008, the push for HPV vaccination led to politicization and media controversy and deepened vaccine hesitancy.
- Diminished infrastructure: Chronic underfunding, lack of access for minorities, and COVID-era disruptions have furthered the spiral.
Ghana鈥檚 extremely overcrowded prisons are fueling the spread of TB, measles, and a range of neglected tropical diseases, clinicians warn. By the numbers: The average occupancy rate for Ghana鈥檚 43 prisons is 137%.
- Kumasi Central Prison, a 600-inmate facility, has held as many as ~1,900 incarcerated people.
- And prison infirmaries have only a fraction of the beds needed.
- 鈥淚n many cases, prisoners arrive already sick, or return to their communities sick,鈥 said Yaw A. Amoako with the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine.
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
