96 Global Health NOW: Upheaval and Uncertainty After Federal Funding Halt; Potential Ebola Outbreak Reported in DRC; and Strengthened Trust in Scientists January 29, 2025 An activist protests against President Donald Trump's plan to stop most federal grants and loans during a rally near the White House on January 28. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Upheaval and Uncertainty After Federal Funding Halt
Widespread confusion and chaos roiled states, schools, and nonprofits across the U.S. yesterday after the Trump administration announced an abrupt halt in federal funding and grants鈥攁 lifeline for thousands of vital programs, . 

The latest: A federal judge temporarily blocked the suspension yesterday, allowing funding to continue through Monday, . Other legal challenges have been filed, which could lead to a constitutional showdown over who controls federal spending. 

Details of the freeze: The calls for a pause in funding while the Trump administration conducts an across-the-board ideological review to uproot initiatives the administration opposes, like DEI initiatives and abortion. 

What鈥檚 affected: The scope of the freeze is still unclear, , despite White House to clarify what鈥檚 impacted. Advocates and agencies fear the order could potentially impact a wide range of programs: disaster relief efforts, community health, cancer research and opioid treatment, daily food programs, and more.

• 鈥淭he lack of clarity and uncertainty right now is creating chaos,鈥� said Meals on Wheels spokeswoman Jenny Young. 


• While the Trump administration has said Medicaid will not be affected by the suspension, Medicaid鈥檚 payment portal stopped working yesterday, . 

Research at risk: Meanwhile, science advocates worry that the order could jeopardize research by delaying many grants indefinitely, .

Related: 

Researchers are terrified of Trump鈥檚 freeze on science. The rest of us should be, too. 鈥�

Trump executive order puts STEM diversity efforts on hold 鈥�

Higher Ed Alarmed by Trump鈥檚 Plan to Freeze Federal Grants 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   ~40 people were killed and dozens injured in a crowd crush after barriers broke at the Hindu festival Kumbh Mela, which has drawn tens of millions to Uttar Pradesh in northern India.

An International Criminal Court prosecutor has announced plans to seek arrest warrants for people linked to alleged war crimes in Darfur, Sudan, calling the escalating conflict a "tailspin into deeper suffering.鈥�

Puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries for people under age 19 are among the medical gender-affirming practices President Trump seeks to end with an executive order signed yesterday; among other restrictions in the order, Medicaid, Medicare, and federal benefits packages will exclude some coverage for pediatric gender-affirming care.

PEPFAR can resume distributing HIV medications for now, after the U.S. State Department issued a reprieve following this week鈥檚 freeze on foreign aid; but whether the waiver extends to preventive drugs or other services remains unclear, and the future of the program still hangs in the balance. RADAR Potential Ebola Outbreak Reported in DRC  
A potential Ebola outbreak has been reported in western DRC at a particularly challenging time, STAT reports鈥攁mid an escalation in fighting and fraught U.S.-WHO relations.

• 12 suspected Ebola cases, including eight deaths between January 10 and 22, have been recorded in the Boyenge area, per the WHO; samples have been sent for testing in Kinshasa.


• Typically, the U.S. CDC coordinates closely with the WHO and provides expertise and support during outbreaks, but on Monday, CDC staff were directed to cease communications with the WHO following the Trump administration鈥檚 order to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO.

Global and U.S. implications: 鈥淭he agencies that are statutorily responsible for protecting our health are unable to do that job because they are not able to pick up the phone and talk to people who might have information that could protect U.S. health and security,鈥� said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University鈥檚 School of Public Health.
 
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES AVIAN FLU The Evolving H5N1 Threat
The avian flu outbreak that was first reported in dairy cattle almost one year ago shows no signs of slowing鈥攄emonstrating a remarkable tenacity that continues to raise pandemic risk. 

While risk to the public still remains low, more health experts are warning that that could change quickly.

• 鈥淥ver the last couple of months, it has felt like the tempo has increased,鈥� said Connecticut public health commissioner Manisha Juthani.

Toll so far: The virus has infected 900+ herds and at least 67 people鈥攃ausing one human death.

Failure to fight: Inadequate testing, 鈥渢oothless鈥� directives, and delayed data are all missed opportunities to crack down on the outbreak. 

Reports of reinfection in herds suggest H5N1 could become endemic鈥攁nd potentially evolve into a more dangerous form under the radar.



Related: 

Rare bird flu strain found in California raises potential of wider spread 鈥�

Will bird flu spark a human pandemic? Scientists say the risk is rising 鈥� HEALTH COMMUNICATION Strengthened Trust in Scientists
Trust in scientists is moderately strong worldwide, finds the largest post-pandemic study of its kind published in . 

Study details: 71,990 people in 68 countries were surveyed in their own languages and according to their own customs, and the study included many under-researched countries in the Global South.

• The majority of respondents had a 鈥渞elatively high level of trust鈥� in scientists鈥�3.62 on a 5-point scale ranging from very low to very high.

• Most viewed scientists as qualified (78%), honest (57%), and concerned about public well-being (56%).

But: Only 42% said they believe scientists pay attention to the concerns of others. Respondents also reported wanting scientists to be more involved in policy on health, energy, and poverty, rather than in military and defense technology. 

QUICK HITS Sudan's Genocide Deepens Famine 鈥�

Overview of President Trump鈥檚 Executive Actions on Global Health 鈥�

RFK Jr. hearing live updates: Trump's pick to head HHS faces bipartisan skepticism 鈥�

RFK Jr. says he'll fix the overdose crisis. Critics say his plan is risky 鈥�

The tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas is alarming. It鈥檚 not the biggest in US history though, CDC says 鈥�

Study shows long-term cannabis use disrupts critical brain processes 鈥�

Deadly Hendra heralded a new era of outbreaks 鈥� but opened the door to bat research 鈥�

One-minute video game could diagnose your child with autism 鈥�

Oyster Blood May Provide a Powerful Weapon Against Antibiotic Resistance 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Xiaodong Cai! Issue No. 2646
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: Gaza Returnees Face Staggering Health Needs, Decimated Health System; Climate Model Predicts High Mortality; and Wean in Rome January 28, 2025 Infant incubators at the ransacked neonatal intensive care unit inside the heavily-damaged Kamal Adwan hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 20. Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Gaza Returnees Face Staggering Health Needs  
As tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians stream back into northern Gaza, finding much of it in ruins, the stark needs are coming into relief鈥攊ncluding massive health challenges.

• ~30,000 people need ongoing rehabilitation for 鈥渓ife-changing injuries,鈥� such as the loss of limbs.


• 12,000+ need to be evacuated for specialized care; some of those with preexisting health issues have gone a year or more without care.


• Israeli bombs damaged or destroyed most of Gaza鈥檚 36 hospitals; only half are still partially operational. 

鈥淗ow are Palestinians going to import the advanced, expensive medical equipment that actually makes the hospital more than a building?鈥� asks Yara Asi of Harvard鈥檚 FXB Center for Health and Human Rights.
 
Risks in the rubble: Decimated sanitation and sewer systems create the conditions ideal for the spread of disease; debris contaminated with toxic chemicals, asbestos, and human remains, and unexploded munitions also threaten returnees.
 
Israel鈥檚 response: Israel, maintaining that Hamas bears responsibility for damage because it used hospitals to shield fighters, hasn鈥檛 shared a reconstruction plan.
 
WHO plan: When it鈥檚 safe, WHO and partners will boost hospital capacity with prefabricated containers, and prioritize trauma and emergency care, primary health care, and mental health support.


 
Related:

Gaza: No Safe Pregnancies During Israeli Assault 鈥�

Israel says eight hostages to be freed in Gaza deal's first phase are dead 鈥�
  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   U.S. public health officials yesterday were ordered to stop working with the WHO, effective immediately, in person and virtual; workers surprised by the sudden stoppage warned it would set back work investigating and addressing threats including Marburg virus, mpox, and avian flu.
 
Racial gaps in life expectancy narrowed by about four years between 1990 and 2018, 鈥攂ut even in 2018, Black women could still expect to live three years less than white women, and Black men five years less than white men.

Public trust in government health agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and state and local health officials, declined over the past 18 months, continuing a trend that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a KFF Tracking Poll; individual doctors remain the most trusted source of health information.

Coca-Cola has recalled beverages in some European countries鈥擝elgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands鈥攐ver safety concerns surrounding levels of cholate, which can be produced when chlorine-based disinfectants are used in water treatment and food processing. Trump Transition News USAID officials put on leave for allegedly not abiding by executive order 鈥�

Trump Order Suspends Healthcare in Refugee Camps 鈥�

NIH memo addresses 鈥榗onfusion鈥� about restrictions imposed by Trump, easing some concerns 鈥�

Doctors opposing RFK Jr. rally in the lead-up to his confirmation 鈥�

Conservative Wall Street Journal warns RFK Jr is 鈥榙angerous鈥� to public health 鈥�

As states diverge on immigration, hospitals say they won't turn patients away 鈥� CLIMATE CRISIS Climate Model Predicts High Mortality
Extreme temperatures could claim an extra 2.3 million lives in European cities by the end of the century if no action is taken to fight climate change, according to . 

• Using temperature and mortality data from 854 urban areas across Europe, researchers explored several warming scenarios and considered the effects of mitigation strategies to keep people safe amid rising heat, such as increasing green space and shade in cities.


• The results suggest that heat-related deaths will surpass those caused by cold conditions in even the most positive scenarios, and that temperature-related deaths overall could increase by ~50%. 

Mediterranean regions, particularly eastern Spain, southern France, Italy, and Malta, are on track to be the worst affected.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES BREASTFEEDING Wean in Rome 
Scholars are gaining new insights into ancient Roman practices around breastfeeding鈥攚ith dental research that is 鈥渓iterally drilling down into something that we really cannot get from texts,鈥� said Roman medicine historian Laurence Totelin of Cardiff University.

Background: Infant feeding practices in ancient Rome have been studied through medical texts鈥攚hich mainly reached wealthy families. 

The new , published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus, looks at both rural and urban populations鈥攁nalyzing dental tissue from 45 Roman adults to pinpoint when weaning occurred.

Findings: Urban families followed Roman physicians鈥� recommendations to wean by age 2. Rural families breastfed longer, from 1.5 to 5 years鈥攍ikely delaying the transition to solid food to conserve food supplies.

QUICK HITS 'We're witnesses to the horror of the world': the one-of-a-kind Italian clinic treating refugees for trauma 鈥�

Cleanup of LA fires has begun 鈥� and toxins are a key challenge 鈥�

Dozens of People Died in Arizona Sober Living Homes as State Officials Fumbled Medicaid Fraud Response 鈥�

New framework to bolster health in fragile settings offers timely guidance for countries 鈥�

China to prioritise physical education in schools as obesity rates rise 鈥�

The United States Needs More Medical Interpreters 鈥�

A Less Brutal Alternative to IVF 鈥� Issue No. 2645
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: A Freeze on Foreign Aid; In Rwanda and Nigeria, Abortion Stigma Persists; and Preventing Child Marriage in Bangladesh January 27, 2025 The U.S. Agency of International Development flag flies in front of the agency's headquarters. September 15, 2014, Washington, D.C. J. David Ake via Getty A Freeze on Foreign Aid
The Trump administration announced a sweeping freeze on nearly all U.S. foreign aid, with immediate鈥攁nd potentially lasting鈥攔epercussions for global health and humanitarian efforts, . 

Order details: The stop-work order lasts 90 days while programs are reviewed, exempting only emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt.

Instant impact: Leading aid organizations said they would cease operations immediately. The freeze 鈥渃ould have life-or-death consequences鈥� for vulnerable populations, said Abby Maxman of Oxfam America.

• The order suspends PEPFAR, the U.S.-funded anti-HIV program that provides lifesaving medications for over 20.6 million people, . 


• Atul Gawande, former USAID global health lead, that the freeze will halt bird flu monitoring, harm efforts to battle Marburg virus and mpox, and hamper polio eradication鈥攁mong other efforts. 

Reproductive health: Trump also reinstated the Mexico City Policy, blocking U.S. aid to foreign groups providing abortion services, counseling, or advocacy, . 

Starting a trend? Italy鈥檚 deputy prime minister proposed a bill to withdraw from the WHO, following Trump鈥檚 order to leave, . But Trump floated rejoining at a rally Saturday, .

Related: 

Trump's Snub to Global Health Leaves The Field Wide Open 鈥�

A week of chaos in public health 鈥�

鈥楴ever seen anything like this鈥�: Trump鈥檚 team halts NIH meetings and travel 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE Help Us Spread the Word  
Hey Readers,

In uncertain times, you can count on Global Health NOW to deliver the essential news in global health 鈥� free.

If you have friends, colleagues, and students who would benefit from receiving GHN, help them and GHN by connecting us. 

Please take a moment to forward this email and our .

And NOW, more news 鈥�

All best,
Brian The Latest One-Liners   Heart disease continues to kill more people in the U.S. than any other cause, with an 鈥渁larming鈥� uptick in risk factors like high blood pressure and obesity highlighting an ongoing crisis, per a from the American Heart Association.

Navajo Nation leaders have raised alarm over at least 15 reports of Indigenous people in Arizona and New Mexico being questioned and detained during immigration sweeps by federal law enforcement last week.  

In Montenegro, thousands of protesters staged a rally in the capital Podgorica demanding the resignation of senior security officials over the government鈥檚 response to a mass shooting that killed 12 people on January 1.

A tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas has risen to ~70 cases鈥攖he largest outbreak in the state鈥檚 recorded history; health departments are currently working to identify close contacts of those who have tested positive. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS In Rwanda and Nigeria, Abortion Stigma Persists
Strict abortion bans in Rwanda and Nigeria have long shaped public opinion on reproductive rights. Although updated laws allow for exceptions, widespread stigma and uncertainty remain鈥攎eaning many women resort to self-managed abortions.

• In Rwanda: Abortion was decriminalized in 2018, allowing it in cases of rape, incest, forced marriage, or health risks, yet uncertainty persists among both abortion seekers and providers. The cost of legal abortion also remains an obstacle. 

• In Nigeria: Abortion is illegal except to save the woman鈥檚 life. Sanctions can include up to 14 years in prison. This has led to dangerous, clandestine abortions, causing 6,000+ related deaths annually.

Related: Emergency contraception pill could be an alternative to mifepristone for abortions, study suggests 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES VACCINES Undermining America鈥檚 Immunity
The CDC鈥檚 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has shaped U.S. vaccination policy for 60+ years, advising government agencies on particular shots and schedules. 

But if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is confirmed as health secretary, health advocates fear that his anti-vaccine views could fundamentally reshape the committee鈥攁nd immunity in the U.S.

ACIP鈥檚 role: The committee includes 19 experts in fields like vaccinology, pediatrics, and virology. Its guidance has helped turn the tide on measles and whooping cough. 

If ACIP is remade: A politicized鈥攐r disbanded鈥擜CIP could lead to delayed or reduced vaccine schedules, and could limit vaccine availability鈥攅specially for children on Medicaid.

• Such changes could erode immunity to preventable diseases over time. 

Related: The Vaccine Schedule Is Under Fire. What鈥檚 the Evidence for It? 鈥� HUMAN RIGHTS Preventing Child Marriage in Bangladesh
Over 60% of Bangladeshi families practice child marriage, by the NGO BRAC, with 56% of girls being forced into marriage before completing secondary school.

BRAC鈥攚hich provides primary education for many of the nation鈥檚 children鈥攂elieves that preventing children from dropping out of school can reduce the prevalence of the practice. 

BRAC鈥檚 solutions:

• Provide stipends for families of primary school girls.


• Provide one-room schools in every village to eliminate travel problems鈥攁nd floating boat schools for some remote communities inaccessible by road.


• Train local teachers, rather than bringing in outsiders.

QUICK HITS Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians head to northern Gaza 鈥�

David Lammy 'horrified' after meeting Sudan war victims face-to-face 鈥�

Real-world study: RSV vaccine 78% to 80% effective against infection, severe illness in older US veterans 鈥�

Bloomberg offers climate cash to UN after Trump exits Paris Agreement 鈥�

Bluesky鈥檚 science takeover: 70% of Nature poll respondents use platform 鈥�

Cooling green roofs seemed like an impossible dream for Brazil's favelas. Not true! 鈥� Issue No. 2644
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: 012325 January 23, 2025 A group of migrants waits in Tijuana, Mexico, after learning that their appointments to apply for asylum in the U.S. have been canceled. January 20. Felix Marquez/picture alliance via Getty Refugees to U.S. 鈥楧evastated鈥� and 鈥榠n Danger鈥� as Program Halted
Thousands of refugees and asylum seekers seeking resettlement in the U.S. faced abrupt cancellation of appointments, travel arrangements, and even ticketed flights, as a new executive order by President Trump halted the nation鈥檚 resettlement program, .

• 10,400+ refugees who had been approved for travel suddenly found their entry to the U.S. denied.


• In Mexico, ~30,000 immigrants had asylum appointments canceled as the CBP One app鈥攁 tool used by asylum seekers for appointments鈥攚as shut down, . 

Details of the order: Trump鈥檚 executive order halts U.S. refugee resettlement, starting January 27. The order affects people already in the resettlement pipeline鈥攕ome having waited for years, .

Those affected: The suspension affects refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, Burma, Venezuela, and parts of Africa. The total suspension has left families 鈥渄evastated鈥� and 鈥渋n danger,鈥� advocates .

• 鈥淭his policy doesn鈥檛 just delay hope; it extinguishes it for so many who have already suffered so much,鈥� said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president of Global Refuge.

What鈥檚 next: Legal challenges are underway. Officials said refugees could still be admitted to the U.S. on a case-by-case basis if deemed in the national interest鈥攈owever, advocates have no clear guidance on this process. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Bolivia confirmed the death of a man from Chapare Hemorrhagic Fever; it鈥檚 unclear how the man contracted the Ebola-like virus鈥攚hich is so rare, just 15 cases have ever been reported鈥攂ut it is primarily traced to contact with infected rodents.

Iraq鈥檚 parliament passed a new law that allows men to marry children as young as nine years old; activists are saying it will 鈥渓egalise child rape.鈥�

The NIH is grappling with widespread 鈥渦ncertainty, fear, and panic鈥� after the Trump administration ordered a wide range of restrictions on the agency, including a communications suspension, a freeze on hiring, and an indefinite travel ban for the nation鈥檚 largest research agency.

Two long COVID studies shine new light on how the illness affects different groups: , found that adult women were substantially more likely to develop long COVID than men; , shows how symptoms affect pediatric patients based on racial and ethnic differences. Trump Transition News   Assessing Trump's claim that U.S. pays 'unfair' share of dues to WHO 鈥�

Zimbabwe fears US withdrawal from WHO will hit HIV/AIDS programmes 鈥�

Trump executive order declaring only 鈥榯wo sexes鈥� gets the biology wrong, scientists say 鈥�

Who is in charge of the CDC right now? Nobody knows for sure 鈥�
  RFK Jr. says he鈥檚 resigned from anti-vaccine nonprofit as he seeks nation鈥檚 top health official 鈥� ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Sweeping Radiation Under the Rug
After the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in March 2011, Japanese scientists closely monitored radioactive plumes emitting from the plant and the effect they had worldwide. 

But two years later, Japanese researchers discovered a new type of highly radioactive microparticle near the Fukushima plant, which contained extremely high concentrations of cesium 137鈥攁 radioactive element that can cause burns, radiation sickness, and death. 

Satoshi Utsunomiya, an environmental radiochemist, soon found that these particles had been present in air filter samples collected in Tokyo in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident.

• But these findings were suppressed ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and scientists still don鈥檛 fully know the long-term dangers the microparticles pose. 

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS The History of the 鈥�Rape Kit鈥�  
In the 1970s, the prevalence of sexual abuse was rarely discussed, victims were nearly always considered to be at fault, and few rapists were arrested鈥攚ith a lack of evidence often cited as the excuse.

• Martha Goddard, a philanthropic organization executive who worked with young rape victims, was determined to change that. Her work led to the sexual assault evidence collection kit, known as a 鈥渞ape kit,鈥� that is now an important forensic tool in many sexual assault cases. 

In her book detailing the kits鈥� history, Pagan Kennedy also addresses the limitations of the kits鈥攚hich are challenging for traumatized survivors, and have a backlog of 100,000 for processing the kits鈥攁nd ultimately, how 鈥渂roken the system for reporting sexual assault remains.鈥�
 

 
Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner! ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Stressed? Stop and Smell the Corpse Flower
With bated breath鈥攁nd plugged noses鈥攕pectators are waiting for the rare blossoming of a giant, rancid flower in Sydney. 

The endangered corpse flower, lovingly named 鈥淧utricia,鈥� is poised to bloom for just 24 hours 鈥攖he first blossom in 15 years. And the plant has gained a cult following, despite the fact that its aroma has been likened to 鈥渨et socks, hot cat food, or rotting possum flesh.鈥� 

Thousands of viewers have tuned in to the Gardens鈥� , though there鈥檚 not much to see yet: 鈥淧utricia stands silent and tall in front of a brown curtain, comfortably ensconced behind a red velvet rope,鈥� .  

But in this case, virtual may be preferable: A journalist covering a corpse flower鈥檚 bloom in London last year 鈥渁 whiff of unwashed lavatory with strong undertones of something that went off at the back of the fridge.鈥�

With each day, the online fandom grows more zealous, : 鈥淎nyone else not wearing deodorant today in solidarity?鈥� commented one devotee. And another: 鈥淧utricia is the only vibe we need for 2025.鈥� OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Support for Haiti needed now 鈥榤ore than ever鈥�, Security Council hears 鈥�

Syria's military hospital where detainees were tortured, not treated 鈥�

Progress Without Protection for Women in Mexico 鈥�

Is a New Mississippi Law Decreasing Jailings of People Awaiting Mental Health Treatment? The State Doesn鈥檛 Know. 鈥�

Ebola and a Decade of Disparities 鈥� Forging a Future for Global Health Equity 鈥�

Adults diagnosed with ADHD have shorter life expectancy, UK study shows 鈥�

In a City of Sprawl, Wildfire Evacuation Is Getting Harder 鈥�

The new science of menopause: these emerging therapies could change women鈥檚 health 鈥� Issue No. 2843
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: Climate Backtracking Condemned; U.S. Health Agencies鈥� Comms on Hold; Russia鈥檚 Restrictive 鈥榊ear of the Family鈥� The UN Secretary-General decried the loss of global climate cooperation in a 鈥渞udderless world.鈥� January 22, 2025 German climate activist Luisa Neubauer and members of Fridays for Future stage a protest in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22. Halil Sagirkaya/Anadolu via Getty Climate Backtracking Condemned at Davos
UN Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres decried the breakdown of global climate cooperation at the World Economic Forum yesterday, calling for business and political leaders to find ways to unite in an 鈥渋ncreasingly rudderless world,鈥� .

• 鈥淥ur fossil fuel addiction is a Frankenstein鈥檚 monster, sparing nothing and no one. All around us, we see clear signs that the monster has become master,鈥� Guterres said, warning of rising sea-levels, heat waves, and other disasters, . 

U.S. withdrawal: UN agencies bemoaned the Trump administration鈥檚 announcement that the U.S. would exit from WHO and the Paris Climate Agreement, stressing the widespread negative impact on public health and climate efforts, including within the U.S., .

• Meanwhile, the EU doubled down on its commitment to the climate agreement, calling it 鈥渢he best hope for all humanity,鈥� . 


• The Global South will face the harshest consequences of inaction, critics said.  

Protest: In Davos, climate activists protested the exclusive event鈥攄isrupting helicopters, painting Amazon鈥檚 hub green, and carrying banners demanding 鈥淭ax the super-rich,鈥� .

• On Bluesky, the event as a place for the world鈥檚 power brokers 鈥渢o advance and protect their own interests.鈥�

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Clinics across Ukraine treating war injuries are reporting a spike in drug-resistant infections, as clinics are overwhelmed with patients, staff numbers decline, and patients are transferred through multiple facilities.

A ketamine-derived nasal spray, Johnson & Johnson鈥檚 Spravato, has received FDA approval to be used as a standalone treatment for severe depression; it was previously approved to be used in combination with antidepressants.

MIT and Harvard scientists have made a 鈥渓andmark鈥� discovery in how the genetic mutation that causes Huntington鈥檚 disease works; the mutation, present from conception, grows into a larger mutation over decades until it kills certain neurons, according to .

The maternal RSV vaccine approved in 2023 was effective in reducing infants鈥� infections and hospitalizations; babies whose mothers received the vaccine during pregnancy were 61% less likely to have an RSV infection, and 78% less likely to be admitted to the hospital, a new study finds. TRUMP TRANSITION U.S. Health Agencies Ordered to Pause Communications  
The Trump administration is temporarily halting federal health agencies鈥� external communications鈥攆rom health advisories to social media posts, .
 
What鈥檚 affected:

CDC scientific reports (yes, even the ) and public health advisories to clinicians; CDC website data updates; public health data releases from the National Center for Health Statistics; and FDA and NIH updates, .

• It鈥檚 unclear whether the directive includes urgent communications like foodborne disease outbreaks, drug approvals, and new bird flu cases.

The background: Some review is to be expected during a presidential transition, but the scope and indeterminate length of this pause is unusual, sources told the Post.

• The move also reminded wary health officials of the 2020 Trump administration鈥檚 attempts to alter CDC reports to align with Trump messaging.

More Trump Transition News:

Trump's federal health website scrubs 'abortion' search results 鈥�

Brady Responds to Trump Administration鈥檚 Apparent Closure of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention 鈥�

WHO comments on United States鈥� announcement of intent to withdraw 鈥�

Trump signs executive order ending birthright citizenship 鈥�

Fauci says he will accept preemptive pardon from Biden 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES POPULATION How Russia鈥檚 鈥榊ear of the Family鈥� Restricted Freedoms 
Staring down a decades-long demographic crisis鈥攅xacerbated by losses in the Ukraine war鈥擱ussia鈥檚 president Vladimir Putin declared 2024 as the 鈥淵ear of the Family,鈥� pushing stronger 鈥減ro-family鈥� policies that included: 

Abortion barriers: Over a dozen regions have passed laws against 鈥渁bortion coercion,鈥� imposing fines on doctors and employers who advise women to get abortions.

Divorce hurdles: A new law mandates a three-month reconciliation period and psychological consultations before divorce鈥攑otentially putting domestic violence victims at risk.

Pro-family messaging: Schools have introduced new 鈥渇amily studies鈥� classes to emphasize family as the state's foundation. Meanwhile, a new law punishes 鈥渃hildfree propaganda鈥� with heavy fines.

OPPORTUNITY 2025 Africa Health Conference
This year鈥檚 , 鈥淏uilding Sustainable Systems: Health Financing and Innovation for Africa,鈥� will convene experts, researchers, students, and community stakeholders to explore innovative strategies in health financing, health care technology, climate resilience, and emergency preparedness to support equitable health outcomes.

• February 7鈥�8, 2025
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, Boston

QUICK HITS Hidden jungle hospital treats Myanmar鈥檚 war-wounded amid junta airstrikes 鈥�

In Belarus, Lukashenka's Regime Is Punishing Critics By Taking Their Children Away 鈥�

The Real Benefits of Annual Covid-19 Booster Shots 鈥�

A lifeline for mothers-to-be on Yemen鈥檚 west coast 鈥�

How a decades-old study gave hormone therapy for menopause a bad reputation 鈥�

What to know about protecting your cat from bird flu 鈥�

People are bad at reporting what they eat. That鈥檚 a problem for dietary research. 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: Trump Orders U.S. Withdrawal from WHO; Global Repercussions of Burma's Crisis; Debate Over Assisted Death for Mental Illness Grows January 21, 2025 WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus looks on during a press conference at the WHO's headquarters in Geneva. December 10, 2024. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty) Trump Orders U.S. Withdrawal from WHO
Hours into his second term as U.S. president, Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO鈥攔estarting a one-year process he鈥檇 initiated in 2020 (reversed in 2021 by then-President Biden), .
 
High stakes:

• The U.S. is the WHO鈥檚 biggest donor, giving $1.28 billion during 2022 and 2023鈥攈undreds of millions of dollars more than the second-highest donor country, Germany.

• For the U.S., it means no more easy access to critical outbreak data, and no more 鈥渟eat at the table,鈥� says Global Health Council chief Elisha Dunn-Georgiou, ceding power to other countries like China and Russia.

鈥淭his is the most cataclysmic decision,鈥� says Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown University global health expert, calling it 鈥渁 grave wound to American national interests and our national security.鈥�
 
Trump鈥檚 argument: Trump accused the WHO of 鈥渞ipping off鈥� the U.S., botching the COVID-19 response, and being beholden to other countries, .
 
Chances for a U-Turn?

• Germany announced plans today to lobby Trump against withdrawal, .


• Congress could possibly block the move, .


• Trump appeared to leave the door ajar for a deal, saying, 鈥淭hey wanted us back so badly so we鈥檒l see what happens,鈥� .

Related: Global health in flux: What a potential US exit from the WHO means for the world 鈥�  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Tanzania yesterday confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease; one case tested positive for the virus following investigations of 25 suspected cases of the disease reported as of yesterday.

President Trump signed a round of executive orders and policies last night to roll back environmental protections and environmental justice initiatives, withdraw from the Paris climate accord, and boost oil and gas production鈥攑romising to 鈥渄rill, baby, drill.鈥�

Anthony Fauci was among several people to receive a preemptive presidential pardon yesterday from outgoing President Biden; Republicans have promised to investigate Fauci for perjury and misconduct regarding the government鈥檚 COVID response.
 
GLP-1s bring a mix of benefits鈥攊ncluding lowered risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, and addiction disorders鈥攁nd increased risks for arthritis, pancreatitis, and other conditions, according to a published yesterday that analyzed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data. CONFLICT The Global Repercussions of Burma鈥檚 Crisis
Four years of conflict and instability have devastated Burma鈥檚 (Myanmar鈥檚) disease prevention efforts鈥攁nd consequences of the mounting health crisis could transcend borders.

• 3.5 million people have been displaced since the military coup in 2021. 

• Meanwhile, medical resources have been depleted, monitoring programs have been dismantled, and health workers have been attacked.

Surge in disease: Infectious disease cases have soared since, including malaria (7X increase), tuberculosis (7X increase), and HIV (up 10%).

International impact: If drug-resistant malaria spreads from Burma, it could reverse global malaria progress, affecting regions like Africa and potentially setting back efforts by 10鈥�15 years.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MENTAL HEALTH Assisted Death for Mental Illness: A Growing Debate 
  The Netherlands has long permitted medically assisted euthanasia for extreme mental suffering. 

But as requests rise鈥攁nd as requesters鈥� ages skew younger鈥攄ebate has intensified around the practice. 

The spike: Requests for euthanasia on psychiatric grounds rose ~30 each year from 2012 to 2018.

• In 2023 there were 138 cases of euthanasia on psychiatric grounds, up from 68 in 2019. 

• 52 such cases between 2020 and 2023 involved patients under 30. 

Response: Some psychiatrists are calling for more guardrails like an age threshold and greater due diligence. 

Elsewhere: Last year, Canada delayed legalizing euthanasia for mental illness for three years. Belgium is seeing legal challenges to the practice. 

OPPORTUNITY Call for Proposals: Gender Equity + Public Health
The Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative鈥檚 has launched a new round of support for projects that strengthen civil registration and vital statistics systems and promote the analysis and use of high-quality data for public health policymaking.

• Proposals in the outlined areas that focus on digital strategies for CRVS systems strengthening and data use are encouraged.


• Government partners are especially encouraged to apply. 


• Grants of up to $100,000 are available for projects up to 15 months. 

The grant proposal process entails two steps:

1) Project ideas must be submitted between January 27 and February 17, 2025, for screening.

2) Selected ideas will be invited to submit a full proposal, due by March 10, 2025. Only invited proposals will be considered for support.

• The application is available .

QUICK HITS

Martin Luther King Jr鈥檚 Legacy on Health Equity Through the Eyes of a Black African Doctor 鈥�

CDC urges doctors to speed subtyping of patients hospitalized with the flu to better track H5N1 infections 鈥�

U.S. pays $590 million to Moderna to speed up development of bird flu vaccine 鈥�

In a 鈥榮hocker鈥� decision, Japan approves mpox drug that failed in two efficacy trials 鈥�

A bipartisan perspective on public health鈥檚 uncertain future 鈥�

Kennedy Sought to Stop Covid Vaccinations 6 Months After Rollout 鈥�

Cecile Richards, former Planned Parenthood president and feminist activist, has died 鈥�

Unhappy About 鈥榃oke Agenda鈥� of PEPFAR, US Conservatives Finally Have Pretext to Cut HIV Funds 鈥� 

A Secret Way to Fight Off Stomach Bugs 鈥�

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 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.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or . Issue No. 1864
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: Climate Change鈥檚 Connection to Rising Obesity; Bye Bye Red Dye; and Laziness for Achievers A 1掳C rise in temperature in developing countries has been associated with a 4% rise in the BMI of children January 16, 2025 Community health worker Suraiyya Terdale raises awareness of rising obesity rates in her village in India鈥檚 Maharashtra state. September 2, 2024. Sanket Jain Climate Change鈥檚 Connection to Rising Obesity  
MUMBAI, India 鈥� 12-year-old Sandesh Gholap weighs 50 kilograms (110 pounds) and stands 1.2 meters (4 feet). As recent summer temperatures in the city topped 39掳C (102掳F), the nearby playground was often empty. 

Gholap tended to stay indoors. He gained 10 kilograms (22 pounds) in the past year, has experienced bullying, and stopped participating in social activities.
 
Data point: A 1掳C rise in temperature in developing countries has been associated with a 4% rise in the BMI of children and a 2% increase in the BMI of women, according to .

• In addition to driving declines in physical activity, rising temperatures can lead to changes in diet, reduced nutritional value in plants, and other impacts that influence people鈥檚 weight.

Changing weather: Recurring floods in India鈥檚 Maharashtra state have destroyed crops and forced residents to rely on highly processed foods for months at a time, says Suraiyya Terdale, a community health worker in Ganeshwadi village.
 
鈥淣ow that the climate has changed, we need to find a solution quickly because obesity not just impacts physical health, [it] can ruin someone鈥檚 life,鈥� Terdale says. 
 
Read the full story for other impacts of climate change鈥攁nd possible solutions.
 

 
Ed. Note: This article is part of , made possible through the generous support of loyal GHN readers. EDITORS始 NOTE No GHN Monday
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the U.S., GHN will not be publishing this coming Monday, January 20. We始ll be back Tuesday with more news! 鈥� Annalies  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
COVID-19 derailed efforts to fight antimicrobial resistance at U.S. hospitals, a new HHS finds鈥攚ith 鈥渓arge-scale disruptions鈥� including larger caseloads, increased mechanical ventilation, and an overburdened workforce.  

Hundreds of miners remain trapped in an illegal mine in South Africa, and 60 bodies have been recovered from the site since the effort to remove the miners began; the remaining miners are in 鈥渋ncredibly poor health,鈥� after officials cut off access to food, water, and medicine.

The U.S. bird flu response and ongoing surveillance has become a part of transition briefings between Biden and Trump administrations鈥攖he first indication of cooperation between the two teams around the H5N1 crisis. POLICY Bye Bye Red Dye 
The U.S. FDA has banned Red 3鈥攖he synthetic dye erythrosine鈥攆rom food, beverages, and ingested medicines like cough syrup, citing cancer risks, . 

• The ban follows a 2022 petition by two dozen food safety and health advocates. 

History of inconsistency: In 1990, the dye was banned in cosmetics, when studies linked the dye to cancer in lab rats, . 

• The FDA continued to allow its use in food, arguing that the cancer-causing mechanism didn鈥檛 affect humans. But advocates disagreed, citing concerns over its impact on children鈥檚 health.

• A 2021 found red dye No. 3 can make children vulnerable to behavioral issues, and noted that safety levels for dyes hadn鈥檛 been updated to consider new research.

The Quote: 鈥淭his is a welcome, but long overdue, action from the FDA: removing the unsustainable double standard in which Red 3 was banned from lipstick but permitted in candy,鈥� said Peter Lurie, director of Center for Science in the Public Interest. 
 

Related: FDA proposes cap on nicotine levels in cigarettes 鈥�

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY Biden's Pandemic Playbook
As the Biden administration closes up shop, officials have released a roadmap of its pandemic defenses. 

Passing the torch鈥�: The 鈥攁 distillation of a 300-page report provided to the new administration鈥攔ecaps the efforts over the last four years to combat COVID-19, mpox, and bird flu, and details the measures needed to monitor and defend against future infectious threats like wastewater monitoring and vaccine stockpiles.

鈥�Only for it to be snuffed?: Incoming president Donald Trump has promised to cut government spending and dismantle pandemic preparedness measures, including pulling the U.S. out of the WHO. 

  ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Laziness for Achievers
With the breakneck speed of modern life, it can be hard to do nothing.
 
Turns out, there始s a way to achieve while getting a reprieve. Make it competitive. 
 
For the past decade, the Seoul-born Space-out Competition has brought contestants together to do 鈥� zilch, .
 
The focus is on celebrating unproductive time but with prizes and glory on the line, it seems quite cutthroat, with contestants vying for votes by staging elaborate props for their space-outs ().
 
While the contest celebrates doing the least (no sleeping, fidgeting, talking鈥�), the contest organizers seem to be doing the most, with space-out duels spreading to several cities across the globe.
 
The contest happened back in the fall but uhh, we spaced out and missed it. And that始s a shame because, as one friend texted to a certain GHN staffer, 鈥榊ou could 100% win this.始 See you in Seoul next year! QUICK HITS UN says it鈥檚 ready to ramp up delivery of desperately needed aid to Gaza 鈥�

Mild H5N1 cases have been perplexing scientists 鈥� now they might have an answer 鈥� 

Wireless radiation from baby monitors significantly disrupts sleep, study finds 鈥�

Longer antibiotic course not associated with increased benefit or harm 鈥�

Botswana records grim gender-based violence statistics 鈥�

Animal rights advocates are ready for Trump鈥檚 war on science 鈥�

7 global buzzwords for 2025: From 'techquity' to 'climate displacement' to 'belonging' 鈥� 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: Syrians Struggle for Footing in Transition; 8 Deaths in Suspected Marburg Outbreak in Tanzania; and a Push to Prevent CP in Nigeria January 15, 2025 A Syrian child clutches a bag of bread at the Yarmouk Refugee Camp, in southern Damascus, Syria. December 29, 2024. Emin Sansar/Anadolu via Getty Syrians Struggle for Footing Amid Transition
After 14+ years of conflict, Syrians have celebrated new freedoms and relative peace in the month after the fall of the Assad regime. But the transition continues to be filled with challenges and uncertainty. 

Food crisis: The price of basic food, like bread, has skyrocketed, with costs increasing 10X, .

• And the UN鈥檚 food agency says some governments and donors are hesitant to fund Syrian aid under the new government, .

Children's plight: Many Syrian children are coping with the psychological toll of extended trauma, and the education system largely collapsed during the civil war, . ~7.5 million children require humanitarian aid, .

• Plus: ~300,000 explosive mines remain across Syria, with nearly four children per day killed or injured by the devices, .  

Fragile health infrastructure: Health services are limited鈥攅specially for women and children鈥攚ith 61% of communities surveyed reporting no available services, .

Related: Syria is still not safe: Refugees need protection 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Haiti鈥檚 gang violence has left 1 million+ people displaced from their homes鈥攁 3X increase over this past year, per from the UN鈥檚 migration agency.

Another federal report on alcohol鈥檚 health effects finds that even one drink a day carries health risks including cancer, liver disease, and injuries, per the new .

Obesity diagnoses should consider measurements such as waist circumference and weight-related health problems, not just BMI, per new from a global commission published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

Drone attacks are responsible for an increasing number of humanitarian worker deaths, with 53 health care workers and 16 aid workers killed in drone strikes in 2024 alone, per a new by Insecurity Insight鈥攁 70% increase over the previous year. OUTBREAK 8 Deaths from Suspected Marburg Outbreak in Tanzania  
A suspected outbreak of Marburg virus has infected nine people鈥攌illing eight鈥攁s of January 11 in northwest Tanzania鈥檚 Kagera region.

• The case count is expected to rise alongside stepped-up surveillance.

Risk of spread: Tanzania and the region are at high risk, , as Kagera is a transit hub with neighboring Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• Rwanda鈥檚 recent brush with the virus, declared over just weeks ago, infected at least 66 people and killed 15.

There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the high-fatality viral hemorrhagic fever.
 
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CHILDREN鈥橲 HEALTH Caught in Conflict
Armed conflict, climate change, and inequality have created a 鈥渘ew era of crisis for children鈥濃�攄isrupting their lives and futures, UNICEF warns in its new , 鈥淧rospects for Children in 2025.鈥�

More warfare: 473 million+ children鈥�1 in 6 globally鈥攏ow live in conflict zones, with the number of conflicts at a historic high.

• The proportion of children in conflict zones has doubled since the 1990s and is now nearly 19%.


• Attacks on schools and hospitals are becoming more common, violating international laws.

Urgency to act: The report calls for stronger national systems to protect and support children.

NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES Pushing for Cerebral Palsy Prevention in Nigeria
Cerebral palsy is thought to be one of the most common neurological diseases in Nigeria, with an estimated 700,000 Nigerians living with the condition.

Many Nigerian cases are traced to untreated neonatal jaundice.

• ~60% of babies develop jaundice, which can be cured easily by early treatment with exposure to ultraviolet light. 


• But in Nigeria, this treatment is often not immediately available. 

Making strides: Organizations like Project Oscar are working to improve care and treatment, including equipping health care facilities to treat jaundice and training health workers. The charity hopes during their first year to screen 9,000+ newborns in Lagos.

QUICK HITS Bird Flu Is Raising Red Flags Among Health Officials 鈥�

The FDA calls for at-a-glance nutrition labels on the front of packaged foods 鈥�

This Blood Type Is More Likely To Get The Norovirus, Studies Say 鈥�

CWD prions found in moose, deer, reindeer muscles in Norway, highlighting potential risk to people 鈥�

Vaccine Hesitancy Among Pet Owners Is Growing: Public Health Expert On Why That Matters 鈥�

A Blueprint for Better Bike Lanes 鈥�

Departing NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli looks back at a whirlwind tenure 鈥�

Are ultra-processed foods changing the shape of our jaws? 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 Dementia Cases Destined to Double in U.S.; HIV鈥檚 Threat to Indigenous Panamanians; and a Ban on Illness = A 鈥楥ry for Help鈥� January 14, 2025 A patient receives the Alzheimer鈥檚 treatment Leqembi at Abington Neurological Associates. Abington, Pennsylvania, November 7, 2023. Hannah Yoon for The Washington Post via Getty Dementia Cases Destined to Double in U.S. 
The risk of developing dementia may be much higher than previously thought鈥攎ore than 2X the estimates from older studies, with showing an average risk of 42% for Americans after age 55, .

• ~One million Americans a year are expected to develop Alzheimer鈥檚 or other forms of dementia by 2060鈥攗p from half a million this year, , one of several collaborating institutions on the study of 15,043 people from 1987 to 2020.

Most at risk:

• Those 75 and older, because risk rises with age.


• Women, who tend to live longer.


• Black people鈥攚hose rates are expected to triple.

Behind the surge: The biggest factor is the aging of the U.S. population鈥攂ut beyond age, genetics, high rates of hypertension and diabetes, and lifestyle factors influence risk.
 
Risk-reducing route:

• Address racial inequities in health care. 


• On an individual level, exercise, avoiding obesity, and controlling blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol are all key. It鈥檚 also important to stay socially and cognitively active and use hearing aids if needed, the AP reports.

Some good news: It鈥檚 not too late to try, even in middle age; people between ages 55 and 75 have a key window to protect their brain's health.

Related: 15 science-based ways to reduce your risk of dementia 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Chinese scientists identified a potentially novel tickborne virus, which they named Xue-Cheng virus (XCV), in patients with fevers and recent tick bites at a northeastern China hospital; the researchers鈥� use of high-throughput sequencing technology to detect the virus.
 
A Kenya court ruled that criminalizing attempted suicide is unconstitutional鈥攁 decision hailed by human rights and mental health groups as an important move to shift perceptions and reduce stigma against people with mental health issues.

More patients seeking abortions in the U.K. reported relying on fertility  awareness-based methods over hormonal contraception methods covering a five-year period between 2018 and 2023.

Graduate students with anxiety and depression say that overly harsh criticism and unreasonable expectations fueled their thoughts of quitting, per a survey designed to uncover which aspects of research and teaching exacerbated mental health symptoms. DATA POINT HIV/AIDS Indigenous Panamanians Face an 鈥楿ncontrolled Epidemic鈥� 
In Panama鈥檚 Ng盲be-Bugl茅 Indigenous territory, an 鈥渦ncontrolled epidemic鈥� of untreated HIV is threatening the region鈥檚 young people, the nation鈥檚 epidemiologists say. 

By the numbers: ~2,500 people of the ~225,000 in the region live with HIV. It was the leading cause of death in the region in 2022.

• In 2023 the territory accounted for 30% of Panama鈥檚 AIDS-related deaths among people 29 or younger. 


• In 2024, the area reported new infections at nearly 4X the national rate.

What drives the spread? Stigma and lack of sex education are key factors. On top of this, extreme poverty and transportation challenges prevent many from seeking care.

HARM REDUCTION HIV Prevention Efforts Hindered in Appalachia  
In 2021, a CDC team visited Charleston, West Virginia, to assess an increasing number of HIV infections.

• What they found was 鈥�,鈥� driven mainly by opioid and methamphetamine injection. 

The CDC recommended implementing syringe service programs (SSPs), which are proven to reduce HIV and hepatitis C infections by up to 50%. 

• But local and state policies, such as limiting the number of syringes exchanged, have hindered such programs.  

Researchers and health workers say that restrictions on harm reduction efforts are in large part responsible for the continuing HIV outbreak鈥攁nd it鈥檚 hard to measure its severity, since there鈥檚 no coordinated state strategy for testing; all efforts are localized.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ITALY A Ban on Illness = A 鈥楥ry for Help鈥�
Residents of the small Italian town of Belcastro have been 鈥渙rdered to avoid contracting any illness that requires medical assistance, especially an emergency,鈥� per a new municipal statute.

Not serious鈥攂ut serious: There are no plans to enforce the decree, said the town鈥檚 mayor, Antonio Torchia. But it is intended to protest the dearth of health care access in the region鈥攚here the health center is often closed, and where on-call doctors are unavailable outside of office hours.

• 鈥淭his is not just a provocation, the ordinance is a cry for help, a way to shine a spotlight on an unacceptable situation,鈥� Torchia told local news outlet .

Wider problem: Many of the region鈥檚 other towns 鈥渟uffer from the same problems,鈥� the mayor said. 

QUICK HITS The psychological toll of California's catastrophic fires 鈥�

鈥業 was crying, there was no anaesthesia鈥�: the fight for legal and safe abortion in Nigeria 鈥�

Why the 鈥楩errari of viruses鈥� is surging through the Northern Hemisphere 鈥�

WHO Africa to Decide on New Regional Director Process Following Shock Death of Candidate 鈥�

The cost of being a family caregiver: Burnout, debt, stress 鈥�

Will MAHA add alcohol to its list of health foes? 鈥�

How soda is changing the world 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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96 Global Health NOW: LA鈥檚 Health Systems Facing Trial by Fire; AMR: Overlooked Agony; and Coping with a Slow-Motion Crisis January 13, 2025 Abandoned wheelchairs and hospital beds outside a nursing home following the evacuation of patients during the Eaton fire. January 8, Altadena, California. Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty LA鈥檚 Health Systems Facing Trial by Fire 
As wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles, the city鈥檚 vast health system faces growing demand鈥攁nd increasing strain, .

The latest: ~24 people are dead and 12+ others remain unaccounted for, . ~105,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation, and another ~87,000 are under evacuation warnings as high winds intensify again today.

The fires have created 鈥渟ignificant operational hurdles鈥� for health systems, per a statement from the Hospital Association of Southern California鈥攊ncluding high call volumes and disrupted patient and supply transport.

• Emergency departments are treating patients for burns, smoke inhalation, and eye irritation.


• Some facilities are facing power outages and staff shortages.


• 700+ people have been evacuated from care facilities鈥攁nd hospitals in proximity to the fires remain on 鈥渉igh alert鈥� to potentially evacuate. 

Long-term threats: Routine medical care will likely be disrupted in the days ahead. Meanwhile, physicians are concerned about long-term effects of toxic wildfire smoke inhalation and mental health impacts, .

• HHS declared a public health emergency for California Friday to activate additional support, .

Related: Amid the fires, LA is warning some residents the tap water isn't safe. Here's why 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res has suspended all medical activities at one of the last functioning hospitals in south Khartoum, with the group 鈥渙ngoing violent attacks on patients and staff.鈥�

A new antiparasitic pill combining two drugs has shown promising results in treating intestinal worms, a parasitic malady that affects about 1.5 billion people globally, per a published in The Lancet.

The death toll in Gaza was ~40% higher than numbers recorded by the Palestinian territory鈥檚 health ministry during the first nine months of the Israel-Hamas war, published in The Lancet, which calculated 64,260 deaths.

Watching short video reels before bed was 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� linked with hypertension in young and middle-aged people, per a of 4,318 people published in the journal BMC Public Health. Avian Flu News Cambodian man dies from H5N1 avian flu, possibly after eating sick chickens 鈥�

D.C. area on alert after bird flu detected in poultry in Maryland, Delaware 鈥�

Bird Flu Is a National Embarrassment 鈥�

How the US is preparing for a potential bird flu pandemic 鈥�

Study reveals why H5N1 flu cases today are less severe than historic outbreaks 鈥� ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE Overlooked Agony
Over 400 million people鈥攑rimarily women鈥攕uffer from UTIs annually, with up to half likely to experience a recurrence within a year.

• Recurrent UTIs and the acute pain they cause remain a largely neglected problem with scant research into why they occur, and no targeted treatments beyond antibiotics. 

When treatment makes it worse: Scattershot antibiotic treatment of UTIs has led to increased antimicrobial resistance, leaving many women suffering for years. 

The Quote: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a public health problem and it takes people away from their lives and nobody cares,鈥� said Elizabeth Kavaler, a urologist based in New York. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MENTAL HEALTH Coping with a Slow-Motion Crisis 
The collective trauma faced by survivors of Hurricane Helene will persist for years, and North Carolina officials must bolster resources to prepare for it, mental health experts warn. 

While recovery efforts are underway, many people are still without safe housing or work鈥攑rolonging and worsening mental health impacts.

• Trauma from disasters can cause 20%鈥�40% of survivors to experience PTSD, often peaking months or years later, per  

Stepping up services:

• The state has pledged $25 million for mental health services and is bolstering its mental health workforce.


• Schools are investing millions in crisis support services and mental health staff. 

Related:

NC addiction treatment programs partner to reduce maternal deaths from substance use 鈥�

Climate Change鈥檚 Psychological Impact | Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine 鈥�

OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Even Adults May Soon Be Vulnerable to 鈥楥hildhood鈥� Diseases 鈥�

More than 15,000 doctors sign letter urging Senate to reject RFK Jr. as health secretary 鈥�  

鈥業 can鈥檛 go toe to toe with social media.鈥� Top U.S. health official reflects, regrets. 鈥�

The rate of HMPV infections in northern China is declining, health official says 鈥�

Cameroon Suspends NGOs, Harming Gender-Based Violence Survivors 鈥�

What to know about a controversial new study on fluoride and IQ 鈥�

Dementia is a neglected noncommunicable disease and leading cause of death 鈥�

Climate Change Threatens the Mental Well-Being of Youths. Here's How To Help them Cope 鈥�

Yogan Pillay, SA鈥檚 healthcare鈥檚 insider outsider 鈥� Issue No. 2838
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: Inferno in L.A.; The Most Neglected NTD: Cryptosporidiosis; and 鈥嬧�婲o Good Win Goes Unpunished The fires have killed at least five people, burned 27,000+ acres and destroyed ~2,000 structures January 9, 2025 A brush fire burns near homes in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 7. David Swanson/AFP via Getty An Inferno in L.A. 
Tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders in Los Angeles as high-force winds fuel multiple rampant fires around the city鈥攕ome of the most destructive in L.A.鈥檚 history, . 

The latest: The fires have killed at least five people, burned 27,000+ acres, and destroyed ~2,000 structures, . 

More danger ahead: Much of Los Angeles County remains under a red flag warning, with forecasters predicting dangerous conditions through Friday night.

Far-reaching hazard: The smoke blanketing the area is creating for people across the region, . 

Water shortages: The region鈥檚 water system buckled under the high demand, with some fire hydrants running dry, . 

Evacuation gridlock: Cars clogged major roads as residents fled鈥攁 perilous scene feared by residents who have long advocated for better planning, . 

Slashed resources: L.A.鈥檚 fire chief warned last month that $18 million in budget cuts had 鈥渟everely limited the department's capacity鈥� to prepare for wildfires, . 

Inmate firefighters: California has long depended on hundreds of inmate firefighters to help contain wildfire spread; those numbers have been dwindling due to prison reform and the COVID-19 pandemic, . 

Bigger picture: Climate researchers warn that a warming world increases the number of 鈥渇ire weather鈥� days globally鈥攚here conditions are more suited for conflagrations, . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, with women and children accounting for more than half of the fatalities, per Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry, which also reports 109,378 wounded as the 15-month conflict grinds on.
 
Mayo Clinic-led researchers characterized the risk potential for thousands of mutations of the BRCA2 cancer gene, offering insights to help providers identify patients with breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or prostate cancer who might benefit from more targeted treatments, according to a yesterday.
 
Taking doxycycline within 72 hours after sex reduced the incidence of chlamydia (by 79%), syphilis (by 80%), and gonorrhea (by 12%), per a 鈥攐ne of the first to show the effectiveness of the doxyPEP (doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis) strategy outside of clinical trials.
 
A new aimed at improving surveillance, research, and response to possible chronic wasting disease spillover from cervids, such as deer to people or farm animals, offers recommendations to help public and animal health agencies recognize and address a species jump. GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY A light micrograph image of oocysts of the parasite Cryptosporidium parvum. M. Kandasamy and B. Striepen The Most Neglected NTD: Cryptosporidiosis
The 14-month-old boy arrived last January at University Teaching Hospitals鈥擟hildren鈥檚 Hospital in Lusaka, after suffering 12 days of diarrhea and poor appetite. Lethargic and dehydrated, he had underlying severe acute malnutrition.

Lab tests confirmed he was infected with Cryptosporidium. Despite maximal care that followed WHO protocols, the child died after a week in the hospital.

Cryptosporidiosis, implicated in the heartbreaking toll of 200,000 child deaths annually, receives far too little attention and should be added to the WHO list of (NTDs), write five members of the Cryptosporidiosis Therapeutics Advocacy Group. 

A place on the WHO鈥檚 list would:

• Increase awareness of the disease鈥檚 impact on vulnerable populations and emphasize the need for quick action.

• Encourage governments to allocate resources and develop strategies for disease surveillance, diagnosis, and control measures. 

• Persuade regulatory agencies like the U.S. FDA to prioritize evaluating and approving diagnostics, treatments, and potential vaccines. 

The takeaway: Achieving these and other crucial steps would give clinicians and public health practitioners the tools they need to reduce cryptosporidiosis鈥檚 devastating impact on children worldwide.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEARING LOSS What鈥檚 Your Number?
Over the course of our lives, every one of us will experience a decline in hearing.
 
What isn鈥檛 so common: getting regular hearing tests to understand how our hearing changes over time.
 
Now, with free smartphone apps, anyone can learn their 鈥溾�濃�攖he measure in decibels of the softest speech sound a person can hear. This metric could help people decide when to use new strategies and technologies, such as over-the-counter hearing aids, to optimize their hearing.
 
Why it matters: Several large studies have linked hearing loss to cognitive decline. Now there are more accessible tools to identify hearing changes鈥攁nd intervene鈥攅arlier.
 
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION No Good Win Goes Unpunished
For the college football coach lucky enough to clinch the annual Duke始s Mayo Bowl, the prize is bragging rights 鈥� and five gallons of mayo to the face.
 
And teams始 approach to the prank is surprisingly strategic.
 
Like any good sports coach, this year始s Duke始s dumpee, Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck, assessed his assets. 鈥淚 think with my bald head the mayo should just slide right off,鈥� .  鈥淚 might have to do a little pre-dumping of the mayo just to make sure.鈥�
 
Tryouts to be the mayo dumper include mayo bucket deadlifts and catching footballs with mayo-soaked hands.
 
Not a mayo-thlete? Mere sports fans can dump stuff from the stands in the, which set a record this year by raining over 100,000 plush pals onto the ice at a hockey game in Pennsylvania. QUICK HITS New year brings little new hope for children in Gaza, with at least 74 children reportedly killed in first week of 2025 鈥�

鈥楩orgotten鈥�: How one Mexican city struggles against big industry for water 鈥�

Delhi's air quality remains in 'very poor' category, AQI stands at 322 鈥�

Ecuador: ongoing violence displacing thousands 鈥�

Survival of the luckiest? New study hints at the potential role of luck in evolution 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 .

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96 Global Health NOW: A Promising Fight Against a Silent Killer; A Powerful Prescription: Cash; and Jimmy Carter鈥檚 Global Health Legacy January 8, 2025 GHN EXCLUSIVE Kennedy Wasilwa, a clinical officer at Lodwar County Referral Hospital, attends to a kala-azar client. December 10, 2024. Scovian Lillian A Promising Fight Against a Silent Killer  
LODWAR, Kenya鈥擨n a sweltering children鈥檚 hospital ward, frail children lie on narrow beds, their tiny bodies locked in battle with kala-azar鈥攁lso known as visceral leishmaniasis.  
  On their wrists, thin plastic cannulas are taped in place, a constant reminder of the daily injections they must endure to survive the parasitic disease.

• Kala-azar is called a silent killer because its early warning signs鈥攆ever, fatigue, low appetite鈥攃an be easy to dismiss. But untreated, the disease, caused by Leishmania parasites transmitted through sandfly bites, kills 90% of its victims.


• And cases have surged recently in arid Turkana County, in northwestern Kenya鈥攚here the hospital now diagnoses and treats around five to 10 cases per day, a significant increase from previous years. 

A big challenge: The disease鈥檚 high death rate, especially among children.
 
Scovian Lillian reported on the reasons for this, the need for safer, simpler treatments, and progress under a framework to eliminate child deaths from the disease by 2030鈥攑ointing to another country鈥檚 success story as proof such ambitious goals are attainable.
 


Ed. Note: This article is part of , made possible through the generous support of loyal GHN readers. Scovian Lillian, an independent journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya, reported on this story as a recipient of the DNDi media fellowship for Eastern African health journalists GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
Thousands of rescue workers have poured into Tibet to search for survivors after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake killed ~126 people and trapped hundreds more.

A compound derived from a tree native to southern Brazil kills the parasite that causes visceral leishmaniasis and may provide a breakthrough treatment for the disease, a published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy has found.

The U.K. cut health-related aid to vulnerable nations while also hiring nurses from those countries鈥攄espite their 鈥溾�� status as regions with severe health workforce shortages, per a new analysis by the Royal College of Nursing.

The FDA has set limits for toxic lead in processed baby foods like jarred fruits, dry cereals, and yogurts, which could cut exposure by 20%鈥�30%, the agency says; however, the limits are voluntary, not mandatory. TUBERCULOSIS A Powerful Prescription: Cash
A Brazilian economic program that provides cash to poor residents has been linked to significant positive health outcomes鈥攊ncluding lowering rates of tuberculosis, a new published in Nature Medicine has found. 

Researchers looked at data on 54 million+ Brazilians living in poverty, 44% of whom received monthly cash payouts from the country鈥檚 Bolsa Familia Program, launched 20 years ago.

Their findings: Families receiving cash were significantly less likely to contract TB, with TB cases and deaths dropping by over 50%鈥攁nd by more than 60% among Indigenous populations.

How might payouts prevent TB? Researchers say the cash supplements allow people to improve their living conditions, diversify their diets, and take time off work for medical care. 



Related: Significantly shorter treatment regimens for tuberculosis in children and adults now recommended 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES POLIO For Indian Americans, A Not-So-Distant Scourge
For many Indian Americans, polio is a recent painful memory. 

Vaccines only became widely available in India in the 1970s, when ~200,000 cases were reported each year. The country was finally declared polio-free in 2014 after extensive vaccination efforts.

Now, with rising vaccine skepticism and the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as U.S. health secretary, Indian American health providers and advocates are voicing concerns about potential polio resurgence in the U.S.

The Quote: 鈥淚 want to be the last generation who remembers the impact of polio,鈥� said Nahid Bhadelia, director of Boston University鈥檚 Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases, whose uncle in India had polio. 鈥淚 wish our children鈥檚 generation didn鈥檛 have to deal with this anymore.鈥�

RIP Jimmy Carter鈥檚 Global Health Legacy 
Following his presidency, Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29, spent five decades鈥攈alf of his 100 years鈥攑lacing much of his focus on global health in the world鈥檚 poorest countries. His quiet yet far-reaching work helped bring health and sanitation to millions and reshaped the work of aid organizations, .

Some highlights: 

Focus on NTDs: Carter made a priority of bringing attention to NTDs, especially to Guinea worm. With the help of the Carter Center鈥檚 efforts, cases dropped from 3.5 million in 1986 to 14 in 2023, . 

Leveraging status: Carter visited remote and impoverished populations with his wife, Rosalynn鈥攁nd later advocated for those groups in international forums. He negotiated a ceasefire during Sudan鈥檚 civil war to allow health teams to tackle a parasitic disease and brokered drug donations for illnesses like river blindness. 

Community-led efforts: The Carter Center set new standards for international aid鈥攑rioritizing locally led, long-term initiatives.

Related: 

Jimmy Carter leaves behind a global public health work legacy 鈥�

Covering Carter: Seeing Hope Restored in Africa 鈥�

鈥極ur country ignored Africa,鈥� Jimmy Carter said. He didn鈥檛 鈥� QUICK HITS Breakthrough drugs herald 鈥榥ew era鈥� in battle against dementia, experts predict 鈥�

'Toxic male technique' could reduce female mosquito population by poisoning them during sex 鈥�

Mongolian horses are contracting H5N1 under the radar, says new study 鈥�

Environmental groups sue FDA over refusal to tackle risky plastic packaging 鈥�  

Doctors worry that iodine deficiency 鈥� a dietary problem from the past 鈥� is coming back 鈥�  

New Global Standard? Iron Infusions Boost Pregnancy Outcomes in Landmark Study 鈥�

Atul Gawande on Global Health's Past and Present 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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96 Global Health NOW: Experts: HMPV Is Not COVID-19; Avian Flu and Other Issues to Watch in 2025; and Your December Recap January 7, 2025 A relative holds an IV drip for a child receiving care at a hospital in Hangzhou, eastern China's Zhejiang province. January 6. STR/AFP via Getty Experts: HMPV Is Not COVID-19
A sharp rise in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections among children 14 and under in China that began late last month has led to crowded hospitals and global concerns.

• Videos of crowded hospitals have circulated on social media, recalling COVID-19鈥檚 early months.

But: Health officials in China and beyond are trying to allay fears of a repeat of COVID-19, which emerged from the country almost exactly five years ago, .
 
Background:

• HMPV is a common virus that鈥檚 been recognized since 2001, (and circulated in humans for decades before that).


• HMPV infection is usually mild with symptoms similar to the common cold. But severe cases can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, 鈥減articularly among infants, older adults and immunocompromised people,鈥� per the Times.

China鈥檚 take: Health officials said the surge in respiratory cases in the country鈥檚 northern provinces reflects the typical peak in winter, .

• HMPV and influenza cases will likely spike at the end of this month when many Chinese travel for the Lunar New Year holiday, according to an official with China鈥檚 Center for Disease Control and Prevention per the Times.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Nearly a third of adults surveyed in six African countries said they were reluctant to get the mpox vaccine, according to a study published this week in ; ~40% said they were reluctant to have their children vaccinated.

The U.S. FDA has rolled out new recommendations for manufacturers to improve the accuracy of pulse oximeters鈥� use with patients of color; the devices have been found to overestimate Black patients鈥� oxygen levels, potentially delaying treatment.

Vasectomies increased by 95% and tubal sterilizations by 70% among Americans between 19 and 26, within months of the June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, .
 
Indonesia鈥檚 new government launched a new initiative yesterday to reduce malnutrition by feeding ~90 million children and pregnant women through 2029; the Free Nutritious Meal program will cost $28 billion through 2029. YEAR-END RECAP Global Health Issues to Watch in 2025
It may be a new year, but many of the global health stories from the last few years are still playing out, writes Helen Branswell for STAT鈥攚ho adds that 鈥渋t doesn鈥檛 feel like the 2020s are ready to cut us any breaks.鈥� 

Among the questions in the new year:

• How might H5N1 bird flu evolve? 


• Can mpox transmission be stopped? 


• Will the U.S. play a decreased global health role with the incoming Trump administration? 

鈥�And looking back to 2024:

• WHO looks back at 2024&苍产蝉辫;鈥�


• 鈥楴ot the new normal鈥� 鈥� 2024 'one of the worst years in UNICEF鈥檚 history' for children in conflict 鈥�


• 2024: The year in photos&苍产蝉辫;鈥�


• Public Health in 2024: Historic Firsts, Unwelcome Comebacks, and Rays of Hope&苍产蝉辫;鈥�

INFECTIOUS DISEASES More About Avian Flu ...
After the first U.S. death from H5N1 avian flu was reported yesterday鈥攁 Louisiana resident hospitalized last month who was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions鈥攖he WHO said that the risk to the general population remains low, .

• The CDC also says the risk to the broader public remains low, 鈥攁lthough the virus appears to have developed some concerning mutations in the course of the Louisiana patient鈥檚 illness. Canada reported similar findings in a girl who fell ill in November.

Eyes on the U.S. response: A must-read from Amy Maxmen, , traces how America lost control of avian flu鈥攆eaturing dozens of government officials, farmers, farmworkers, and researchers, including virologists around the world who warn that the stage has been set for another pandemic.

• 鈥淵ou are surrounded by highly pathogenic viruses in the wild and in farm animals,鈥� said Marion Koopmans, head of virology at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands. 鈥淚f three months from now we are at the start of the pandemic, it is nobody鈥檚 surprise.鈥�

Trouble points: Slashed public health budgets, lethargic federal interventions, and neglect for the safety of agriculture workers.
 
The Quote: 鈥淚 hear over and over from workers, 鈥楾he cows are more valuable than us,鈥欌�� says Bethany Boggess of the National Center for Farmworker Health. DECEMBER EXCLUSIVES Makeshift houses in the Garden House Compound area of Lusaka that share makeshift toilets built from wood and rags. Lusaka, Zambia, November 6, 2024. Freddie Clayton Exclusives to Close out 2024:
New Local Reporting Initiative reporters Kennedy Phiri and Freddie Clayton explore efforts to avoid a repeat of last year鈥檚 deadly cholera outbreak in Zambia in this two-part series:

•  

Michelle Morse, New York City鈥檚 acting health commissioner, shares her public health priorities for the residents of the largest city in the U.S.鈥攁nd how her global health experience influences her work today鈥攊n a Q&A with GHN鈥檚 Brian W. Simpson.

And, reporter Joanne Silberner examines how the U.S. government鈥檚 approach to public health might change when the second Trump administration begins on January 20鈥攅xploring what powers states have to determine and take action on their own public health priorities.

MORE DECEMBER MUST-READS Cartels Recruiting Chemistry Students
As Mexican cartels seek to dominate the fentanyl market, they are increasingly turning to a new source for recruits: university chemistry labs, using high salaries and other incentives to lure students.

The bigger ambition: Cartels are trying to synthesize chemical compounds known as 鈥減recursors鈥� that are key to making fentanyl, which would free them from being dependent on China for production鈥攎aking it more difficult for law enforcement in both Mexico and the U.S. to stop the flow of the deadly drug. 


  Women on the Lymphatic Filariasis Front Lines
The mosquito-borne disease lymphatic filariasis takes an especially heavy toll on women in India鈥攅specially in poor, rural regions, where women are more vulnerable due to daily outdoor chores and have less access to health care.

• While annual mass drug administration campaigns aim to reduce transmission, mistrust and lack of awareness keep the preventive medicines out of women鈥檚 reach.

  Portugal鈥檚 Practical Health Priorities 
Portugal has a life expectancy nearly four years longer than the U.S.鈥攄espite spending just 20% of what the U.S. spends on health care per person.

The focus? Not cutting-edge technology or expensive medical facilities, but rather 鈥渙ld fashioned primary care and public health,鈥� including free or low-cost health care for every resident and clinics embedded in neighborhoods.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS The surgeon general wants the U.S. to know alcohol causes cancer. Plenty stands in his way 鈥�

WHO announces the development of new guidelines for lenacapavir and updated HIV testing guidelines 鈥�

Sweet Danger: How Sugary Drinks Are Fueling Millions of New Diabetes and Heart Disease Cases Worldwide 鈥�

Krutika Kuppalli and Placide Mbala Kingebeni鈥� What we learnt from the DRC鈥檚 malaria outbreak 鈥�

Mycetoma: A Neglected Tropical Disease Affecting Ethiopia's Rural Communities 鈥�

Health Insurers Limit Coverage of Prosthetic Limbs, Questioning Their Medical Necessity 鈥�

Wait, should I bother using antibacterial soap? 鈥� Issue No. M-Dec.2024
Global Health NOW is an initiative https://us14.admin.mailchimp.com/campaigns/edit?id=10286596of 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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96 Global Health NOW: January 7, 2025 A relative holds an IV drip for a child receiving care at a hospital in Hangzhou, eastern China's Zhejiang province. January 6. STR/AFP via Getty Experts: HMPV Is Not COVID-19
A sharp rise in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections among children 14 and under in China that began late last month has led to crowded hospitals and global concerns.

• Videos of crowded hospitals have circulated on social media, recalling COVID-19鈥檚 early months.

But: Health officials in China and beyond are trying to allay fears of a repeat of COVID-19, which emerged from the country almost exactly five years ago, .
 
Background:

• HMPV is a common virus that鈥檚 been recognized since 2001, (and circulated in humans for decades before that).


• HMPV infection is usually mild with symptoms similar to the common cold. But severe cases can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, 鈥減articularly among infants, older adults and immunocompromised people,鈥� per the Times.

China鈥檚 take: Health officials said the surge in respiratory cases in the country鈥檚 northern provinces reflects the typical peak in winter, .

• HMPV and influenza cases will likely spike at the end of this month when many Chinese travel for the Lunar New Year holiday, according to an official with China鈥檚 Center for Disease Control and Prevention per the Times.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Nearly a third of adults surveyed in six African countries said they were reluctant to get the mpox vaccine, according to a study published this week in ; ~40% said they were reluctant to have their children vaccinated.

The U.S. FDA has rolled out new recommendations for manufacturers to improve the accuracy of pulse oximeters鈥� use with patients of color; the devices have been found to overestimate Black patients鈥� oxygen levels, potentially delaying treatment.

Vasectomies increased by 95% and tubal sterilizations by 70% among Americans between 19 and 26, within months of the June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, .
 
Indonesia鈥檚 new government launched a new initiative yesterday to reduce malnutrition by feeding ~90 million children and pregnant women through 2029; the Free Nutritious Meal program will cost $28 billion through 2029. YEAR-END RECAP Global Health Issues to Watch in 2025
It may be a new year, but many of the global health stories from the last few years are still playing out, writes Helen Branswell for STAT鈥攚ho adds that 鈥渋t doesn鈥檛 feel like the 2020s are ready to cut us any breaks.鈥� 

Among the questions in the new year:

• How might H5N1 bird flu evolve? 


• Can mpox transmission be stopped? 


• Will the U.S. play a decreased global health role with the incoming Trump administration? 

鈥�And looking back to 2024:

• WHO looks back at 2024&苍产蝉辫;鈥�


• 鈥楴ot the new normal鈥� 鈥� 2024 'one of the worst years in UNICEF鈥檚 history' for children in conflict 鈥�


• 2024: The year in photos&苍产蝉辫;鈥�


• Public Health in 2024: Historic Firsts, Unwelcome Comebacks, and Rays of Hope&苍产蝉辫;鈥�

INFECTIOUS DISEASES More About Avian Flu ...
After the first U.S. death from H5N1 avian flu was reported yesterday鈥攁 Louisiana resident hospitalized last month who was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions鈥攖he WHO said that the risk to the general population remains low, .

• The CDC also says the risk to the broader public remains low, 鈥攁lthough the virus appears to have developed some concerning mutations in the course of the Louisiana patient鈥檚 illness. Canada reported similar findings in a girl who fell ill in November.

Eyes on the U.S. response: A must-read from Amy Maxmen, , traces how America lost control of avian flu鈥攆eaturing dozens of government officials, farmers, farmworkers, and researchers, including virologists around the world who warn that the stage has been set for another pandemic.

• 鈥淵ou are surrounded by highly pathogenic viruses in the wild and in farm animals,鈥� said Marion Koopmans, head of virology at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands. 鈥淚f three months from now we are at the start of the pandemic, it is nobody鈥檚 surprise.鈥�

Trouble points: Slashed public health budgets, lethargic federal interventions, and neglect for the safety of agriculture workers.
 
The Quote: 鈥淚 hear over and over from workers, 鈥楾he cows are more valuable than us,鈥欌�� says Bethany Boggess of the National Center for Farmworker Health. DECEMBER EXCLUSIVES Makeshift houses in the Garden House Compound area of Lusaka that share makeshift toilets built from wood and rags. Lusaka, Zambia, November 6, 2024. Freddie Clayton Exclusives to Close out 2024:
New Local Reporting Initiative reporters Kennedy Phiri and Freddie Clayton explore efforts to avoid a repeat of last year鈥檚 deadly cholera outbreak in Zambia in this two-part series:

•  

Michelle Morse, New York City鈥檚 acting health commissioner, shares her public health priorities for the residents of the largest city in the U.S.鈥攁nd how her global health experience influences her work today鈥攊n a Q&A with GHN鈥檚 Brian W. Simpson.

And, veteran GHN freelancer Joanne Silberner examines how the U.S. government鈥檚 approach to public health might change when the second Trump administration begins on January 20鈥攅xploring what powers states have to determine and take action on their own public health priorities.

MORE DECEMBER MUST-READS Cartels Recruiting Chemistry Students
As Mexican cartels seek to dominate the fentanyl market, they are increasingly turning to a new source for recruits: university chemistry labs, using high salaries and other incentives to lure students.

The bigger ambition: Cartels are trying to synthesize chemical compounds known as 鈥減recursors鈥� that are key to making fentanyl, which would free them from being dependent on China for production鈥攎aking it more difficult for law enforcement in both Mexico and the U.S. to stop the flow of the deadly drug. 


  Women on the Lymphatic Filariasis Front Lines
The mosquito-borne disease lymphatic filariasis takes an especially heavy toll on women in India鈥攅specially in poor, rural regions, where women are more vulnerable due to daily outdoor chores and have less access to health care.

• While annual mass drug administration campaigns aim to reduce transmission, mistrust and lack of awareness keep the preventive medicines out of women鈥檚 reach.

  Portugal鈥檚 Practical Health Priorities 
Portugal has a life expectancy nearly four years longer than the U.S.鈥攄espite spending just 20% of what the U.S. spends on health care per person.

The focus? Not cutting-edge technology or expensive medical facilities, but rather 鈥渙ld fashioned primary care and public health,鈥� including free or low-cost health care for every resident and clinics embedded in neighborhoods.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS The surgeon general wants the U.S. to know alcohol causes cancer. Plenty stands in his way 鈥�

WHO announces the development of new guidelines for lenacapavir and updated HIV testing guidelines 鈥�

Sweet Danger: How Sugary Drinks Are Fueling Millions of New Diabetes and Heart Disease Cases Worldwide 鈥�

Krutika Kuppalli and Placide Mbala Kingebeni鈥� What we learnt from the DRC鈥檚 malaria outbreak 鈥�

Mycetoma: A Neglected Tropical Disease Affecting Ethiopia's Rural Communities 鈥�

Health Insurers Limit Coverage of Prosthetic Limbs, Questioning Their Medical Necessity 鈥�

Wait, should I bother using antibacterial soap? 鈥� Issue No. 2835
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 SNOW Day January 6, 2025 Anoushka and Wolfie don't mind the snow! Arnold, Maryland, January 6. Dayna Kerecman Myers Global Health SNOW Day
A winter storm hit the Baltimore region overnight, closing Johns Hopkins University today and delaying our planned first issue of 2025.

We know there is a lot of global health news to catch up on after the holiday break, and we plan to be back in full force tomorrow with the first official GHN of 2025! Until then, here are a few stories to tide you over. 鈥�Dayna QUICK HITS 9 countries said goodbye to a devastating disease in 2024 鈥�

HHS directs $306 million to avian flu response as virus strikes more US flocks 鈥�

鈥楾here is no safe level鈥� of alcohol to drink, doctor says鈥攏ot even one glass of red wine per day 鈥�

What Covid tried to teach us 鈥� and why it will matter in the next pandemic 鈥�

How visa rejections are stalling Africa's health research 鈥�

22 Public Health Accomplishments in 2024 鈥�

Did anything good happen in 2024? Actually, yes! 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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96 Global Health NOW: Measles鈥� Enduring Grip in the DRC; Persistent Threats to Pakistan鈥檚 Vaccination Efforts; and a We Are What Diverts Us DRC parents find themselves powerless to protect their children from measles. December 19, 2024 Measles鈥� Enduring Grip in the DRC 
In the DRC, many parents worry about their children contracting measles鈥攂ut find themselves powerless to protect them, with vaccines and treatment options all too often out of reach. 

Relentless threat: 311,000+ cases and 6,000 deaths were reported in the DRC last year. This year, ~97,000 cases have been logged; but the disease has become more lethal, killing 2,100+. 

• For ~4.5 million malnourished Congolese children, measles can be even more dangerous.

And vaccine coverage is low: Only 52% of children in the DRC are vaccinated, with as little as 13% coverage in some remote regions. 

Key obstacles: Logistics and infrastructure. Vaccines are difficult to distribute in the DRC due to the country鈥檚 vast size, poor roads, and unreliable refrigeration. 

Future solutions: Rapid diagnostic tests and vaccine patches may improve prevention efforts in the future.

Bigger picture: Measles cases globally rose by 20% in 2023, reaching 10.3 million cases and 107,000+ deaths, according to .

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE See You Next Year! 
This is the last GHN of 2024.

Thanks to all our readers who support our work in so many ways鈥攆rom opening the newsletter each morning to reading our exclusive reporting, sending tips and feedback, and contributing to our crowdfunding campaign. We appreciate you! 

We鈥檒l be back on Monday, January 6, with more news! 鈥� Annalies The Latest One-Liners
A viral illness dubbed "Dinga Dinga" is affecting women and girls in Uganda's Bundibugyo district; there have been reports of ~300 cases of the mysterious illness, which causes shaking, fever, and weakness. 

Microplastics in the air could be linked to colon and lung cancer, and may be contributing to infertility, finds a of published research in Environmental Science & Technology.

U.S. life expectancy has risen closer to pre-pandemic levels as deaths from COVID-19 and drug overdoses decline, per new from the CDC; life expectancy increased ~1 year to 78.4 years in 2023.

A state of emergency for bird flu has been by California Governor Gavin Newsom, as 300+ herds in the state have tested positive for the virus in the last 30 days alone; meanwhile, the first severe case of human bird flu has been reported in Louisiana. GHN鈥檚 BEST OF 2024: STAFF PICKS A man takes rest from selling water bottles on a hot afternoon near India Gate in Delhi. Cheena Kapoor Jackie's Picks
I鈥檓 a contributing editor with GHN, reviewing stories and summaries in the morning production process to include in the newsletter. I wrote some of the very first summaries for GHN way back in 2014. What a difference ten years鈥攁nd 50,000+ subscribers鈥攎akes! 鈥�Jackie Powder, contributing editor
Best GHN Exclusive India roasted in spring and summer as record-breaking temperatures soared to 126掳F, forcing impoverished residents into heat poverty. Independent journalist Cheena Kapoor describes a Delhi family of five who took on debt to buy an air conditioner so the children wouldn鈥檛 miss school because of heat-related sicknesses. Meanwhile, outside, air conditioners expelled hot air, exacerbating the 鈥渦rban heat island鈥� effect in Delhi, which is dominated by concrete, steel, and asphalt. 
Best News Article ProPublica reporters Annie Waldman, Maya Miller, Duaa Eldeib, and Max Blau interviewed more than 500 therapists to explore an aspect of the U.S. mental health crisis: therapists opting out of health insurance networks in droves. The providers described insurers urging them to reduce treatment for high-risk鈥攁nd more costly鈥攑atients, and withholding reimbursements. The result is a severe shortage of therapists who accept insurance and a lack of access to care for people with mental illness鈥攅ven if they are insured. 
Best Commentary POLIO Persistent Threats to Pakistan鈥檚 Vaccination Efforts
The bombing attack in northwest Pakistan that killed three police officers assigned to protect polio vaccine workers was just the latest in a long history of violence seeking to undermine the country鈥檚 vaccination efforts, . 

• The bombing came a day after gunmen opened fire on police escorting polio workers in the city of Karak, killing one police officer and injuring a health worker.

The violence has escalated as Pakistan launches its final nationwide polio vaccination campaign for 2024 in an effort to reach ~45 million children. 

Adding to obstacles: Health officials have postponed the vaccination drive in the country鈥檚 southwest Balochistan province after health workers there boycotted participation to oppose hospital privatization, .

Ongoing hostility: 200+ polio workers and police assigned to protect them have been killed since the 1990s, as militants claim the campaigns are a Western conspiracy.

• Other subversion tactics include falsifying vaccination records, explained WHO epidemiologist Zubair Mufti Wadood in a . 

Bigger picture: Pakistan has reported 63 polio cases this year. It and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where polio has not been eradicated. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEALTH SYSTEMS Sierra Leone鈥檚 Surgical Advance  
People who need surgery in Sierra Leone, which has one of the world鈥檚 least developed health care systems, often must seek treatment abroad, with NGOs helping to cover costs.
 
But now, a new state-of-the art hospital has opened in Freetown, with support from Japan, offering surgical procedures and specialty care.

• The hospital is also training local medical personnel. 鈥淓very operation that takes place is another chance to train and maintain surgical knowledge within Sierra Leone,鈥� writes Jody Ray.

An ongoing challenge: The country still has only one pediatric surgeon and fewer than 10 anesthesiologists鈥攆or a population of 8.6 million. 
 
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Norbert, the beloved cat of GHN staffer Morgan Coulson, representing his species well.  Driven to Distraction 
Some say you are what you eat, but at GHN, we are what diverts us.
 
Weekly diversions are perhaps the clearest lens onto what makes us click, other than global health news. And after an audit of the year, it鈥檚 clear: We can鈥檛 resist an animal story.
 
So much so that at one point, it was suggested that we鈥攇asp!鈥攑ut a moratorium on cat content. Norbert (pictured) has thoughts. Readers: What do you all think?
 
Our animal instinct led us to:

• A prize-winning bear 鈥溾�濃�攁nd also robbing cars.

• This champion poodle styled as a came to much acclaim (鈥減erfection!鈥�)鈥攁nd this dog that had his record-breaking age (We blame the owners.)

• Moo Deng (duh) and the nemesis that came for her crown.

• Our favorite cat-egory: Felines. We learned about the , were horrified by , and had FOMO on a parade that tore through Minneapolis .

QUICK HITS Europe says flu, RSV on the rise and affecting health systems 鈥�

Syphilis microbe circulated in the Americas thousands of years before European contact 鈥�

Unified approach could improve nature, climate and health all at once 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!

Cheap, smart and efficient: how giant rats are transforming the fight against TB 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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96 Global Health NOW: 鈥楳ystery Disease鈥� Solved鈥擝ut More Help Needed; Optum Takes Aim at ABA; and Dearth of Care for Gazans with Disabilities December 18, 2024 A mother holds her child while sitting on a bed at the Tudikolela hospital, on the outskirts of Mbuji-Mayi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 1, 2021. Arsene Mpiana/AFP via Getty 鈥楳ystery Disease鈥� Solved鈥擝ut More Help Needed 
An alarming illness circulating in a remote area of the DRC has been confirmed to be an acute form of malaria, exacerbated by malnutrition, .

• ~600 people have been sickened in the outbreak, and 143 have died鈥攎ostly children under 5. 

Background: The outbreak, which began in late October in the remote Panzi health zone of Kwango province, sparked widespread concern because of the illness鈥檚 flu-like symptoms.

• Difficult terrain and communication problems further hampered efforts to manage the outbreak.

The impact of malnutrition: ~40% of the population in the region is malnourished, 鈥攚hich health officials say contributed to the 6.2% case fatality rate.

What鈥檚 next: WHO-provided antimalarial drugs and health kits are being distributed throughout the region. New malaria vaccines have been rolled out in some African countries, but they have not reached the Panzi region, . 

Big picture: Malaria still kills ~600,000 people a year globally鈥攁nd 12% of those deaths occur in the DRC, where it is a leading cause of death. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE Small Contributions Make a Big Difference    While big-ticket donations are always welcome, it is our readers鈥� strength in numbers that has gotten us where we are today. Thank you to all of you who have donated so far! 

Your donations have powered GHN鈥檚 Local Reporting Initiative. Knowing that stories are better told by people who know their communities, we鈥檝e published dozens of articles by journalists around the world who鈥檝e illuminated topics including tiger attacks in the Sundarbans, barriers to health care for Amsterdam鈥檚 sex workers, and climate change鈥檚 threat to Pakistan鈥檚 transgender community.  

We鈥檙e excited to bring you more unique global health stories like these鈥攂ut we need your help to do it. . 

Thank you for joining us! 鈥�Morgan The Latest One-Liners   The notorious 2020 paper that popularized hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment due to ethical concerns and methodological problems; the move follows years of campaigning by scientists who said the study contained major flaws.

As U.S. pertussis cases surge 6X from last year, public knowledge of the contagious disease remains low, finds a new from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

Long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to increased risks of hospitalization for mental health conditions as well as physical ailments, per from the University of St Andrews published in BMJ Open.

Most U.S. teens are not drinking, smoking tobacco, or using marijuana, per the annual Monitoring the Future of 24,000 students released yesterday; it is the largest proportion abstaining from those substances since the survey started in 2017. GHN鈥檚 BEST OF 2024: STAFF PICKS Eliud Wekesa speaks to visitors at his home and church compound in Tongaren, Bungoma County, Kenya, on February 29. Dominic Kirui Annalies鈥� Picks
Since starting as a freelancer in 2017 to becoming GHN鈥檚 associate editor鈥攚ith two children in between鈥攖ime with GHN has flown by. I鈥檓 up at dawn most Thursdays serving as GHN鈥檚 lead editor鈥攁 gigantic mug of English breakfast tea in one hand, the other scrolling for the top global health stories so our readers don鈥檛 have to. When I鈥檓 not doing that, I am researching GHN stories on everything from to . And most weeks, I get to cross over to the light side, bringing you our weekly diversions and, hopefully, a smile! 鈥�Annalies Winny, GHN associate editor
Best GHN Exclusive Eliud Wekesa is just one of many religious and cult leaders across Kenya blamed for encouraging followers to shun medicine, undermining health efforts. Journalist Dominic Kirui shows how health officials are involving religious leaders in government health strategies to help dispel these messages. Wekesa has publicly modeled acceptance of medical care, participating in a mass drug administration campaign to combat bilharzia and intestinal parasitic worms.
Best News Article Reporters Nick Thieme, Alissa Zhu, and Jessica Gallagher unveiled a tragic trend among Black men born from 1951 to 1970: The group makes up 7% of Baltimore鈥檚 population, but accounts for ~30% of drug fatalities. It鈥檚 a generation whose lives have been 鈥渟haped by forces that have animated the city鈥檚 drug crisis for decades.鈥�
Best Commentary HEALTH SYSTEMS Optum Takes Aim at ABA
Leaked internal documents reveal that Optum, a UnitedHealth subsidiary, is aggressively targeting applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy鈥攚hich the company acknowledges is the 鈥渆vidence-based gold standard treatment for those with medically necessary needs鈥濃�攖o cut costs.

• Optum is scrutinizing providers who exceed certain cost thresholds, questioning the necessity of treatments, and denying coverage even for medically recommended ABA.

The approach violates autism treatment guidelines and the federal mental health parity law, which mandates equal access to mental health and physical care, autism advocates told ProPublica. 

• Inadequate early intervention may result in more severe challenges and long-term harm for children with autism, ultimately costing insurers more. 

Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe! CONFLICT Dearth of Care for Gazans with Disabilities
Thousands of people in Gaza are facing devastating disabilities, with few resources or care to navigate their new reality.

• 106,000+ people have been injured since the war began, and ~25% of those injured require long-term rehabilitation, per the WHO.

But rehabilitation services are scarce. Gaza鈥檚 fragile health system is overwhelmed, and shortages of wheelchairs, prostheses, and essential medications make even basic rehabilitation nearly impossible. 

Psychological scars: Those injured are also coping with trauma, an inability to work, and societal rejection.

DROWNING Who is Most at Risk? 
The global drowning death rate has dropped 38% since 2000鈥斺�渁 significant health achievement,鈥� per the on drowning prevention.

• 300,000+ people drowned in 2021, and 7.2 million+ may die due to drowning by 2050.


• People under age 29 account for nearly half of all drowning deaths; a quarter involve children under 5鈥攁nd 9 in 10 drowning deaths take place in LMICs.

Recommendations: Installing barriers, teaching water safety and rescue skills, and improving regulations around boating and flood risks. 
 


Related: How to prevent drowning: a ground-breaking report that's startling yet hopeful 鈥� QUICK HITS 鈥業 want help鈥�: Behind bars, pleas for addiction medications often go nowhere 鈥�

Tracing fentanyl鈥檚 path into the US starts at this port. It doesn鈥檛 end there. 鈥�

Cheap, smart and efficient: how giant rats are transforming the fight against TB 鈥�

Health workers think COVID, flu vaccines safe and effective, but many remain hesitant, global survey shows 鈥�

'Cancer ghosting' can be more painful than treatment, survivors say 鈥�

Why cats are the new pigs 鈥� and could spark the next pandemic 鈥�

鈥楽illy and pompous鈥�: Official new names for viruses rile up researchers 鈥� Issue No. 2832
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: Silence Ends for Syrian Victims; Michelle Morse: Protecting 8 Million New Yorkers' Health; and Screening for Pakistan鈥檚 Miners December 17, 2024 A Syrian child receives first aid after a chlorine gas attack on the town Hamuriya, outside Damascus, Syria, March 7, 2018. Anas Alkharboutli/picture alliance via Getty For Syrian Chlorine Victims, the Silence Ends  
In 2018, the Syrian air force dropped two yellow cylinders on the town of Douma, releasing a deadly chlorine gas that suffocated at least 43 people to death, reports.
 
鈥� 鈥�Their bodies turned to black, their clothes went green and were burnt, they crumbled and stuck to their bodies,鈥� reports survivor Abdulhadi Sariel. 鈥淲e threw out all of our clothes but [you can still see the effect] on the curtains.

• Syrian police later warned survivors to tell international investigators that smoke and dust inhalation, not chemicals, caused the deaths.

鈥淏ut I always kept the curtains [as evidence] for this moment,鈥� Sariel says. And now, just over a week after the fall of Syria鈥檚 former government, Syrians are finally free to talk.
 
鈥楧ire Conditions鈥� for Syria鈥檚 Displaced: 100,000+ people have been displaced from northern Aleppo to areas in northeast Syria, a region already facing an 鈥渁cute and longstanding鈥� humanitarian crisis. Many face wintry conditions without shelter, water, and basic health care, . 
 
Related: Former Syrian prisoners detail horrific conditions 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   The vaccination gap is widening for children in England, per a that shows waning uptake of five key childhood vaccines among low-income children, leaving children in the poorest areas 20X more vulnerable to measles.
 
More than one-third of the world鈥檚 countries fail to monitor air quality, per an Open AQ assessment that found significant gaps in government tracking and sharing of air quality data, particularly for low- and middle-income countries.

The Italian government decided to scrap fines for refusing compulsory COVID-19 vaccines, drawing criticism from the medical community and opposition parties that accused the government of 鈥渞ewarding lawbreakers鈥� and ignoring health system needs.
 
After the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in the U.S., the number of uninsured Latinos fell from 33% to 18%鈥攂ut more than half (55%) of Hispanic/Latino adults in the U.S. are inadequately insured, , compared with ~ 42% of the non-Hispanic/Latino population. GHN EXCLUSIVE Michelle Morse鈥檚 global health experience has strongly influenced her work as NYC鈥檚 acting health commissioner. Courtesy: New York City Health Dept. Michelle Morse: How to Protect the Health of 8 Million New Yorkers  
After arriving in Haiti in 2009 to work with Partners in Health, Michelle Morse went on home visits with community health workers (CHWs) as they distributed medications, food, and other essentials.

• 鈥淪eeing that model in action鈥攏ot waiting in our Ivory Tower for people to come in and see us, but actually bringing the lifesaving health interventions that people needed to where they were through community health workers鈥攚as a massive frame shift for me,鈥� says Morse, the acting health commissioner for New York City.

In NYC: When she joined the city鈥檚 health department in 2021 as its first chief medical officer, she began working with CHWs providing COVID-19 test kits, masks, treatment, and reliable information on vaccines. 鈥淚 still see community health workers as one of the most critical public health foundations,鈥� she says.
 
In an interview with GHN earlier this month in the department鈥檚 Long Island City office, Morse shared insights on:

• The city鈥檚 efforts to recover from the nearly five-year drop in life expectancy during COVID-19.

• The department鈥檚 work to reduce Black maternal mortality.

• Her preparations for changes coming from the new presidential administration.

• The data she looks at daily.

GHN鈥檚 BEST OF 2024: STAFF PICKS Tablets of the antidepressant Prozac. Paul S. Howell/Liaison Agency Rin鈥檚 Picks
In my role, I read and break down key points of articles for story summaries. I鈥檓 fascinated by how things work鈥攚hether it鈥檚 a policy, a health care system, or the components of a vaccine. I have a special interest in women鈥檚 and reproductive health, and as the articles below show, I have a soft spot for stories that explain the 鈥渨hys鈥� behind health actions. 鈥�-Rin Swann
Best GHN Exclusive  Have you ever wondered why prescription drugs have baffling names? In this story, GHN's associate editor Annalies Winny explains why brand-name drugs need to meet strict naming requirements for patient safety.
Best News Article Despite multiple lawsuits and protests from therapists, the biggest insurance conglomerate in the U.S., UnitedHealth Group, has utilized algorithms to identify and revoke coverage to increase profits. Those most at risk include patients seeking mental health resources, Annie Waldman鈥檚 investigation reveals.
Best Commentary  TUBERCULOSIS Seeking Screening for Pakistan鈥檚 Miners
Pakistan already has a high tuberculosis burden, but the disease is especially prevalent among the ~100,000 miners who labor in the country's coal pits.

• Prevalence of tuberculosis is 10.3% higher among miners than the general population.

High risks: Damage the coal dust inflicts on their lungs makes them more vulnerable to TB bacteria鈥攚hich spread more easily in the miners鈥� overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions. 

Adding to the strain: Miners have limited access to health care, so often TB isn鈥檛 detected until the disease has progressed. 

Improving awareness: New battery-powered, AI-driven x-ray technology is being used to improve TB diagnosis in remote mining areas, allowing miners to seek treatment earlier than what has been typical. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS

Positive avian flu bulk-tank tests prompt another raw-milk recall in California 鈥�

Trump says there are 'problems' with vaccines, rejects mandates 鈥�

Trump's pick for health secretary, RFK Jr, supports polio vaccination, US senator says 鈥�

Missing and dismissing the impact of periods: Outcomes of focus groups of teens with period concerns 鈥�

Doctors seethe over insurance companies' 鈥榦ut of control鈥� tactics 鈥�

Should pharmacists be moral gatekeepers? 鈥�

A strange alliance: Oxygen companies and their Medicare patients want Congress to pay the companies more 鈥�

New insights into the vast diversity of nature's most abundant viruses 鈥�

Issue No. 2831
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, Aliza Rosen, 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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96 Global Health NOW: Does the Polio Vaccine Face Political Peril?; Mysteries at the Mpox Epicenter; and Portugal鈥檚 Practical Health Priorities December 16, 2024 Polio survivor Larry Montoya at the airport for the arrival of vaccines distributed as part of the KO Polio campaign. September 5, 1962. John McBride/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Does the Polio Vaccine Face Political Peril?
Public health experts are increasingly worried about the threat to vaccination programs under a second Trump administration, as Department of Health and Human Services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. surrounds himself with anti-vaccine advocates鈥攊ncluding one who has fought the polio vaccine, . 

To help vet candidates for key jobs in the department, Kennedy has turned to attorney Aaron Siri鈥攚ho petitioned the FDA in 2022 to revoke approval of the polio vaccine, .

• Siri, known for challenging COVID vaccine mandates and questioning vaccine safety, works with the Informed Consent Action Network, a group critical of vaccines.

A preview? Public health experts fear that this alignment could be a signal of broader anti-vaccine efforts down the line, .

• 鈥淭here is much more behind this than just rhetoric,鈥� said Michael Osterholm, director of CIDRAP. 

McConnell鈥檚 warning: U.S. Senate minority leader and polio survivor Mitch McConnell condemned any attempts to undermine the polio vaccine as 鈥渄angerous鈥濃�攁nd warned that anyone seeking Senate confirmation 鈥渨ould do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts,鈥� . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   An attack on a hospital in the Sudanese town of Al Fasher on Friday killed nine people and wounded 20, according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who called attacks on health care across Sudan 鈥渄eplorable.鈥�

A parvovirus B19 outbreak is spreading in Japan, bringing heightened risk to pregnant women, who face increased risk of miscarriage or complications in newborns from the respiratory disease.

RSV vaccine trials for children have been halted after two experimental RSV vaccines for babies failed to protect them鈥攁nd actually made some of the babies sicker, per researchers鈥� findings.

Expanding Canada鈥檚 needle exchange programs to cover 50% of people who inject drugs in the country鈥檚 prisons would prevent 15% of new hepatitis C cases and 8% of injection-related infections, per in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. GHN鈥檚 BEST of 2024: STAFF PICKS View of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Blessed Sheriff Dayna鈥檚 Picks 
As GHN鈥檚 resident morning lark, my main responsibilities include curating the news, planning production and matching assignments to writers, and editing exclusives. My favorite part of the job is getting to know our writers and readers and seeing how engaged and passionate they are about various global health priorities, which helps shape our coverage鈥攖hough there is never enough space to highlight everything that deserves a spotlight. 鈥�Dayna Kerecman Myers, GHN Managing Editor
Best Exclusive Sierra Leone鈥檚 only psychiatric hospital has just 10 psychiatrists tasked with the daunting challenge of providing mental health care for a country of 8 million people. Blessed Sheriff, a Johns Hopkins-Pulitzer Global Health Reporting Fellow, traveled to Freetown to report on efforts to transform mental health care in the country, interviewing the first class of psychiatry residents trained there and learning how they are helping to melt societal stigma and change the narrative around mental health.
Best News Article Dakar-based reporter Elian Peltier exposed how Kremlin-paid African influencers, news outlets, and Russian state-controlled media amplify each other in efforts to undermine Western-funded health care programs in Africa, spreading disinformation about scientists fighting malaria and other infectious diseases on the continent. It鈥檚 a chilling example of how pro-Russian propaganda capitalizes on weakened trust in the West while silencing independent journalists. 鈥� The New York Times (gift article)
  Best Commentary GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MPOX Mysteries at the Epicenter
It has been 15 months since a new strain of mpox surfaced in the mining town of Kamituga in Eastern DRC. 

While the response now includes intensive interventions including vaccines, much remains unknown about the strain, clade Ib, and its origin, reports Stephanie Nolen in a deep dive from Kamituga.

Unanswered questions include:

• How is clade Ib transmitted? Is it truly sexually transmissible, or can it spread through close physical contact?


• Why are children disproportionately affected? Is it because the virus has already infected so many adults, or because children are so malnourished鈥攐r another reason? 


• And how did the virus come to Kamituga? Has a precursor been circulating in animals for years?  

HEALTH SYSTEMS Portugal鈥檚 Practical Health Priorities 
Portugal has a life expectancy nearly four years longer than the U.S.鈥攄espite spending just 20% of what the U.S. spends on health care per person. And the small country ranks third of 195 countries for access to affordable health care鈥攚hile the U.S. ranks 183rd.

The focus of its national health system? Not cutting-edge technology or expensive medical facilities but rather 鈥渙ld fashioned primary care and public health.鈥� 

Some key features:

• Free or low-cost health care for every resident 


• A network of 鈥渇amily health units,鈥� or clinics embedded in neighborhoods


• Robust electronic health records that allow doctors to track individual and population health in real time.

QUICK HITS This drug is the 'breakthrough of the year' 鈥� and it could mean the end of the HIV epidemic 鈥�

Texas鈥� abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine 鈥�

Outgoing CDC director girds against an overhaul, and tries to calm staff nerves 鈥�

Fired Baltimore health commissioner speaks out 鈥�

Will the FDA finally ban Red No. 3? A decision could come soon 鈥�

Egypt鈥檚 Hepatitis Programme Becomes a Model for African Countries 鈥�

Migrant children struggle to express themselves in words. Enter art and play. 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, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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  Copyright 2024 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: Living Longer, but Not Healthier; Afghanistan to Ban Women From Nursing, Midwifery; and Decrypt the Halls The gap between lifespan and healthspan has widened across the globe December 12, 2024 Joynal, 70, sits outside a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, while taking in oxygen for the breathing difficulties, on January 31. Syed Mahamudur Rahman/NurPhoto via Getty Living Longer, but Not Healthier 
Lifespans are increasing worldwide, but those extra years are not necessarily healthier, finds a large new study published in .

The health span-lifespan gap鈥攖he difference between how long people live and how long they live in good health鈥攈as widened over the past two decades among 183 WHO member states, . 

• On average, people live 9.6 fewer healthy years than their total lifespan, with a larger gap for women. In the U.S., the gap is 12+ years. 

• The health span deficit is linked to the cumulative effects of aging itself, researchers say鈥攂ut also the uptick in chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, and mental health issues. 

A tale of two countries: Meanwhile, a new from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative finds that the U.S. trails England and Wales in life expectancy by 2.7 years鈥攁nd that four preventable causes of death drive the disparity: cardiovascular disease, overdoses, motor vehicle crashes, and gun violence, .  EDITOR'S NOTE Would You Give Up One Coffee for GHN?   
We hear all the time from readers who say they love reading GHN with their morning coffee.
 
Today, we present a challenge: ? Whether it鈥檚 an at-home filter coffee, a classic cuppa, a pricey pumpkin spice caramel latte ... we鈥檒l take it! 

And here鈥檚 your sweetener: Donations of any amount will help us unlock a special $2,000 challenge gift from longtime GHN supporter Ana Rita Gonzalez.  
 
So far, 72 readers have contributed. 28 more are needed to unlock the gift. Any amount is welcome!

Your contributions remind us of the global mission at the heart of our work, and our responsibility to use your donations wisely鈥攖o strengthen GHN and expand our global coverage. 鈥擜苍苍补濒颈别蝉 GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
Colorectal cancer is on the rise among people under 50 worldwide, published in the Lancet Oncology finds, with the greatest annual increases being seen in New Zealand, Chile, Puerto Rico, and England.

Health investigators in California have sent samples to the CDC to try to determine whether a toddler who鈥檇 consumed raw milk was infected with H5N1, but much about the case remains unclear.

Gender-affirming care in Montana will remain legal for minors after the state鈥檚 supreme court upheld a lower court ruling that blocked a new law banning care.

17 children in Mexico have died from bacterial infections related to contaminated IV feeding bags; 16 of the children were infants, and one was 14 years old. GHN'S BEST OF 2024: STAFF PICKS Zhou Pengcheng provides music therapy for a child with autism in Tianjin, north China, March 23, 2021. Zhao Zishuo/Xinhua via Getty Melissa鈥檚 Picks
As a morning editor on GHN, I review our summaries and analyses, trying to correct any ambiguities, errors, or typos before they land in your inbox. It鈥檚 intense work鈥攔acing against the clock while our small team smooths out the day鈥檚 edition鈥攂ut energizing, too. And, like our readers, I reap the benefit of GHN鈥檚 content as I start my workday, which for me includes editing and writing for our School鈥檚 magazine and website. 鈥擬elissa Hartman, GHN contributing editor
  Best GHN Exclusive Researchers were stunned by the results of a survey they conducted to learn about suicidal thoughts among young people with autism: Of nearly 400 autistic children who reported wanting to die over their lifetime, 35% experienced onset at 8 years old or younger. GHN鈥檚 Kate Harrison Belz spoke to the study鈥檚 lead author about the findings and what caregivers can do to help children at risk.   Best News Article Native Americans have the highest rate of death from liver disease in the U.S.鈥攂ut are less likely than other racial groups to secure a spot on the national liver transplant list. Journalist Annie Gilbertson and data scientist Ben Tanen shed light on causes that range from scarce IHS funding to federal agencies鈥� delays in collecting data on who receives transplants.    Best Commentary GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HUMAN RIGHTS Afghanistan to Ban Women From Nursing, Midwifery
The Taliban is poised to ban women from training as nurses and midwives in a move that 鈥渨ill have a devastating long-term impact on the lives of millions of Afghans, especially women and girls,鈥� said Afghan activist Samira Hamidi. 

• The order was announced at a meeting of the Taliban public health ministry on Monday and relayed to training institutes soon after.

Maternal mortality was already high in Afghanistan even before the Taliban seized control鈥攚ith 620 women dying for every 100,000 live births in 2020, .

• Afghanistan needs an additional 18,000 skilled midwives for Afghan women to get adequate care, . 

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Decrypt the Halls 
Forget The Nutcracker. In the U.K., 鈥檛is the season for code crackers. 

Each year, Britain鈥檚 cyber-intelligence agency gift wraps 鈥渁 riddle wrapped in an enigma inside a mystery鈥� for the nation鈥檚 puzzle-hungry public, . 

Hark! The Herald Agents Sing: The annual Christmas Challenge was introduced by the 鈥渋n-house puzzlers鈥� at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in 2015 and has since become a beloved, brain-boggling tradition.

O Come, All Ye Playful: The festive quest is designed for young people ages 11鈥�18, with the subversive hope they will discover a passion for puzzles鈥攁nd potentially 鈥渃onsider what a career in cybersecurity and intelligence might have to offer,鈥� said GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler. 

• A third of British secondary schools had downloaded the puzzle the morning of its release, . 

Have Yourself a Merry Little Cryptograph: , released yesterday, spotlights historical GCHQ bases in the U.K. and is designed 鈥渢o test a range of problem-solving skills and to encourage the use of teamwork.鈥� QUICK HITS Trial stops enrollment after Tpoxx fails to speed clade 2 mpox healing or pain relief 鈥�

Data shows global conflict surged in 2024 鈥�

An opioid settlement ruling could have far-reaching implications for other lawsuits 鈥�

Poliovirus keeps popping up in European wastewater, perplexing and worrying scientists 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:

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->



 
  Copyright 2024 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 .