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96 Global Health NOW: Inside India鈥檚 Funding Failure in Rare Genetic Disease Care November 25, 2025 TOP STORIES Taps are running dry across Iran; if rain doesn鈥檛 come soon, Tehran鈥檚 10 million people may be forced to evacuate amid the country鈥檚 worst water crisis in decades鈥攂lamed on mismanagement of natural resources exacerbated by climate change.      Semaglutide fell short in 鈥渉otly anticipated鈥� Alzheimer鈥檚 trials, deflating hopes that anti-obesity drugs could delay the progression of neurodegenerative diseases鈥攂ut the research could yield clues about potential anti-inflammatory and preventive effects.     A Gavi-UNICEF deal to cut the price of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine鈥攖o under $3 a dose鈥攃ould protect 7 million additional children by 2030; 21 countries have rolled out the vaccine since its introduction in 2024.      A simple, scalable hospital program improved hand hygiene, sped up sepsis treatment, and reduced severe maternal infections by 32%,  that demonstrates the lifesaving potential of small interventions even in resource-limited settings.   EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE Thanksgiving Break    GHN will not be publishing for the rest of this week for the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. We鈥檒l be back in your email box on Monday, December 1, with more news!      + Important update: We heard that the form for the  closed prematurely for a spell yesterday, ahead of the 11:59 pm deadline. We are sorry if that affected you, and to make up for it, we will accept entries through Monday, December 1. Thanks to everyone who has already entered! 鈥�Dayna IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE REPORT People pass by Mumbai鈥檚 King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, one of India鈥檚 13 centers of excellence in rare disease care. Jan. 28, 2017. Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Inside India鈥檚 Funding Failure in Rare Genetic Disease Care  
When India launched a rare genetic disease policy in 2021, it was hailed as a turning point in medical care for  afflicted by such diseases.  
  But thousands of children across India have waited for medicines鈥攁nd some have died鈥攁s the government鈥檚 best intentions have been unraveled by red tape, withheld funds, and lengthy court battles, . 
  Two main issues: 

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approves only about 30% of funding requests. 

• Patients who do receive funding find that expensive medicines can quickly run through the government鈥檚 $60,000 per patient spending cap.  

Case study: Arohi Kajabe, a 3-year-old who has Gaucher鈥檚 disease, a rare genetic disorder that silently destroys vital organs, died in February after waiting for more than two years for medicines that never came.  

• Her father, Yogesh Kajabe, a farm laborer, sold his only piece of land and borrowed $6,000 to keep her alive. Each of the two monthly injections she needed cost $1,200. 

Government response: A senior official said the government is planning to raise the rare disease budget to $117 million over the next couple years. 
  The Quote: 鈥淭he policy is a fragmented patchwork,鈥� says Archana Panda, co-founder of CureSMA India, a spinal muscular atrophy NGO. 鈥淲ithout a permanent national fund and insurance integration, India鈥檚 rare disease framework will keep collapsing under its own weight.鈥�   THE QUOTE
  "We鈥�re seeing a massive level of loss." 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌� Atul Gawande, former USAID assistant administrator for Global Health, on the consequences of U.S. government aid cuts. 鈥� NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES Is Extreme Heat Driving an 鈥楨pidemic鈥� of Kidney Disease?    Over the last two decades, researchers have seen a surge of kidney disease among a demographic not typically at risk for the ailment: young, otherwise healthy outdoor workers who don't have diabetes or genetic risk factors.     The condition has been dubbed CKDu鈥攃hronic kidney disease of unknown causes鈥攂ut researchers say an underlying cause is increasingly evident: extreme heat and chronic dehydration, writes journalist Carrie Arnold, reporting from El Salvador鈥檚 Pacific coast.    Far-reaching crisis, few resources: Increasing rates of CKDu have been reported across Central America and among Nepalese migrants who worked in the Middle East. 

• Many workers struggle to access needed dialysis and medications.  

A push for prevention: Interventions providing water, rest, and shade have .       HAPPY THANKSGIVING! QUICK HITS First death reported from rare bird flu strain 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;     NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;     COP30 Ends with No Text on Fossil Fuels Phase-Out - But Plans for a Conference In 2026 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;    California Is Tired of Letting People Die 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;    COVID vaccine tech could limit snake venom damage 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;  
A bowhead whale's DNA offers clues to fight cancer 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;  Issue No. 2828
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: Roots and Ramifications of Romania鈥檚 Measles Crisis; and Ghana鈥檚 Dangerously Packed Prisons November 24, 2025 TOP STORIES Five people have now died in Ethiopia鈥檚 Marburg virus outbreak, per a Saturday Ministry of Health update that also placed the confirmed case count at 10 and the case fatality rate at 50%.     HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria control 鈥渉angs in the balance鈥� after a significant shortfall in donations to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria following the G20 summit; of the organization鈥檚 $18 billion budget, just $11.3 billion has been confirmed.     Farm and animal-related workers are being urged by European authorities to get vaccinated for the flu to prevent human and bird influenza strains from genetically mixing, as the region braces for one of the most severe flu seasons in 10+ years.

94% of lung cancer cases in the U.S. could be detected if screening were made available for Americans between the ages of 40 and 85鈥攁nd ~26,000 deaths could be prevented per year even if just 30% were screened (and separate from on lung cancer screening published last week). IN FOCUS Roots and Ramifications of Romania鈥檚 Measles Crisis   Romania has the lowest measles vaccination rate in the EU, with just two-thirds of people fully vaccinated.    The consequences: 30,000+ measles cases and 23 deaths were recorded in 2024, including five infants.    Global warning: The country鈥檚 contracting coverage over 30+ years offers critical insights for other countries watching their vaccination rates plummet, global health experts say.  

• "The outbreaks aren't only a matter of poverty and not understanding the importance of immunization. It's multifactorial,鈥� said Mihai Craiu, a pediatrician at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy. 

Some of those factors:  

• Historic backlash: Vaccines were mandatory under Romania鈥檚 Communist regime, leading to widespread mistrust of immunizations after the country鈥檚 post-1989 shift to democracy.  

• Further flashpoints: In 2008, the push for HPV vaccination led to politicization and media controversy and deepened vaccine hesitancy. 

• Diminished infrastructure: Chronic underfunding, lack of access for minorities, and COVID-era disruptions have furthered the spiral.  

Slow and steady solutions: Romanian health leaders are seeking evidence-based approaches to take on mistrust and misinformation, including .        GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HUMAN RIGHTS Ghana鈥檚 Dangerously Packed Prisons 
Ghana鈥檚 extremely overcrowded prisons are fueling the spread of TB, measles, and a range of neglected tropical diseases, clinicians warn.     By the numbers: The average occupancy rate for Ghana鈥檚 43 prisons is 137%.  

• Kumasi Central Prison, a 600-inmate facility, has held as many as ~1,900 incarcerated people.  

• And prison infirmaries have only a fraction of the beds needed.  

鈥楾icking time bombs鈥� for disease: Many prisons in Ghana are converted colonial forts that lack adequate ventilation or hygienic infrastructure. And infections are not contained within prison walls:  

• 鈥淚n many cases, prisoners arrive already sick, or return to their communities sick,鈥� said Yaw A. Amoako with the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine.  

  QUICK HITS  Women fleeing Sudan鈥檚 El Fasher face a new battle: To keep their families safe 鈥�     A battle with my blood 鈥�      What To Know About the CDC鈥檚 Baseless New Guidance on Autism 鈥�     While no one was watching: Tenuous status of CDC prion unit, risk of CWD to people worry scientists 鈥�     Can vaping help wean people off cigarettes? Anti-smoking advocates are sharply split 鈥�     To keep babies healthy, a New Orleans case manager delivers stability in the face of federal uncertainty 鈥�     The Doulas Bringing Babies into the World During Hurricanes 鈥�   Issue No. 2827
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: Violence Against Women Remains a 鈥楧eeply Neglected Crisis鈥� November 20, 2025 TOP STORIES Europe has detected 46 cases of mpox clade 1b since August, including at least 14 cases among people with no known travel history or contact links; the highly infectious strain emerged in DRC in 2023 and triggered an epidemic in Africa.  

Maternal infections and deaths were cut by 32% in a multicountry clinical trial involving 430,000+ women, which implemented 鈥渁 structured, sustainable approach鈥� to preventing maternal sepsis that included a focus on hand hygiene and infection prevention and management strategies.  

62,000 lung cancer deaths could be prevented over a five-year period if more people were screened for it, that found that just 18% of eligible individuals received lung cancer screening.  

Water fluoridation has no link to declining cognition in children or adults, , which examined education and medical records of a nationally representative group of 26,000 Americans.   IN FOCUS Silhouettes form the backdrop of an International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women protest in Mexico City, on November 25, 2024. Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Violence Against Women Remains a 鈥楧eeply Neglected Crisis鈥�  

~840 million women globally have experienced intimate partner or sexual violence in their lifetimes, released yesterday that describes the problem as a "deeply neglected crisis,鈥� . 

More numbers:    

• 11% (316 million) of women and girls ages 15 and older were subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner over the past year.
   
• Violence starts early, affecting 16% of adolescent girls ages 15鈥�19 (12.5 million), . 

Mounting evidence, declining funding: This year鈥檚 global health aid cuts especially affect sexual and reproductive health services鈥攊mportant entry points for survivors of violence to access care, . 

What鈥檚 needed:  

• Strengthened survivor-centered health, legal, and social services; investment in data systems to track progress; and bolstered enforcement of existing laws and policies, launched alongside the report.
   
• Stronger laws and enforcement of online abuse, including harassment, cyberstalking, defamation, and deepfakes, article that also calls on tech companies to step up and provides online safety resources and tips.  

What progress looks like:  

• Country-level projects like Cambodia鈥檚 effort to update domestic violence legislation, improve services, and refurbish shelters, . 
   
• National action plans in Ecuador, Liberia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda that are backed by domestic financing.

OPPORTUNITY Last Chance: Enter the Untold Stories Contest! 

Send your story ideas by Monday to , co-sponsored by GHN and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health to raise awareness of an underreported issue.  

It鈥檚 easy:  

• In 150 words or less, tell us why your issue deserves more attention. If you win, we鈥檒l provide the spotlight it deserves.    

Bonus: You could win a free registration to the !  

• Deadline: November 24, 11:59 p.m. EST
•  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION 86ing 6-7

American educators weary of a certain ubiquitous two-number phrase being blurted out in the classroom have reached their wits' end鈥攐nly to find another level of insanity exists. 6-7 levels, in fact.  

Despite being named , 6-7 is not a word and has no real definition. But that hasn鈥檛 stopped the phrase from taking over Gen Alpha classrooms to the point where teachers are assigning 67鈥�670-word essays for infractions鈥攚ith limited results, .  

Now 5-0 has gotten involved. This week, school resource officers with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff鈥檚 Office in Indiana banning the phrase and following two officers making citations rain in the cafeteria. 

• The truth: 鈥淯nfortunately, just like the phrase, the law and the tickets have no weight,鈥� .  

A glimmer of hope: Older generations鈥� embrace of the phrase could deem it 鈥渃ringe to the younger generation,鈥� .  

GHN is committed to stemming epidemics, so we promise to do our part to eradicate 6-7 with the vaccine of un-coolness ... starting with publishing this Diversion.

QUICK HITS

Under RFK Jr., CDC promotes false vaccines-autism link it once discredited 鈥�

As infant botulism cases climb to 31, recalled ByHeart baby formula is still on some store shelves 鈥�

New Gene-Editing Strategy Could Help Development of Treatments for Rare Diseases 鈥�

How Big Tobacco stalls SA鈥檚 smoking and vaping law 鈥�

Researchers develop new method to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria using bacteriophages 鈥�

Homicides have fallen sharply in these five cities 鈥� and across the U.S. 鈥�

Issue No. 2826
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: Lenacapavir Rollout Reaches Africa; and The Perils of Migrating While Pregnant November 19, 2025 TOP STORIES Ultra-processed foods are linked to harm in every major human organ, that calls out profit-driven global food corporations and emphasizes that relying on individual behavior change isn鈥檛 enough.      A new TB treatment that includes the antibiotic sorfequiline could improve cure rates and shorten treatment time by months, per clinical trial results presented Wednesday by TB Alliance researchers at the Union Conference on Lung Health in Copenhagen.     Most Americans trust childhood vaccines鈥� effectiveness, finds a new , in which 63% of surveyed Americans reported being extremely or very confident that childhood vaccines work in preventing serious illnesses; however, Republican voters鈥� support for vaccines and vaccine requirements continues to fall.     A new Lyme disease test can identify a range of different bacterial cells related to the disease through molecular testing鈥攁 more rapid and reliable method than current processes, per research presented last week at the Association for Molecular Pathology Annual Meeting & Expo.   IN FOCUS A volunteer counselor with a mobile testing team talks to a villager before she has an HIV test, in Sikwaazwa village, Zambia, on November 12, 2003. Gideon Mendel for The International HIV/AIDS Alliance/Corbis via Getty Lenacapavir Rollout Reaches Africa    The breakthrough HIV prevention shot lenacapavir has arrived in Eswatini and Zambia just months after U.S. approval, marking what advocates call an unusually fast global deployment of a game-changing drug to LMICs that need it most, .     A small, but significant start: Each country received 500 doses of the twice-yearly injection, which provides near-complete protection against HIV. 

• The deliveries mark the first step toward providing ~2 million doses by 2028 through the Global Fund, the U.S. State Department, and Gilead Sciences, which developed the vaccine.  

Disrupted delivery: The vaccine arrives as U.S. aid cuts have weakened health systems鈥� ability to administer it, say health advocates.  

• 鈥淲e are starting from a deficit that we didn鈥檛 have to,鈥� said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition.  

South Africa cut out: Though South Africa has the world鈥檚 largest HIV-positive population, the country is being excluded from the U.S.-funded doses, , a decision critics described as 鈥渟elf-defeating鈥� and driven by President Trump鈥檚 political tensions with the country.     Looking ahead: Gilead has sought approval across multiple high-burden African countries; but demand is expected to exceed supply as rollouts expand, .   THE QUOTE
  鈥淭he process at HHS has moved 鈥榝rom evidence-based decision-making to decision-based evidence-making.鈥欌�� 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�� 鈥揇aniel Jernigan, 30-year veteran of CDC who resigned in August, .
  MATERNAL HEALTH The Perils of Migrating While Pregnant    For pregnant women among the nomadic herders in Jammu and Kashmir, the annual springtime journey across the 3,500-meter-high Pir Panjal pass on foot is especially dangerous: The women often carry heavy loads and eventually give birth along the trail鈥攕ometimes after days without proper food or rest.  

• Exhaustion, anemia, and infections are common problems among the women who make it to clinics, but many never do.

• 鈥淲e survive by luck. But every year, another woman does not,鈥� said Fatima Deader, a pastoralist who gave birth while trekking.  

Global angle: Mobile-clinic models in Mongolia, Ethiopia, and Somalia offer maternal care models for pastoralist women. But such support in Kashmir has yet to materialize.      OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS The next pandemic is already here: Antimicrobial resistance is upending a century of achievements in global health 鈥�     Tuberculosis: MSF findings show WHO algorithms could double the number of children diagnosed and treated 鈥�      Aid for data: Trump administration trades funding for health information 鈥�     WHO to lose nearly a quarter of its workforce 鈥� 2,000 jobs 鈥� due to US withdrawing funding 鈥�     Flu season could be nasty this winter 鈥�      As 'California sober' catches on, study suggests cannabis use reduces short-term alcohol consumption 鈥�   Issue No. 2825
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: Low-Hanging Fruit for the 鈥楢merica First鈥� Global Health Strategy; and Vision for a Dementia Village November 18, 2025 TOP STORIES 74,000+ patients were enrolled in the 383 clinical trials interrupted by NIH funding cuts this year, per a new 鈥攔aising concerns about avoidable waste, data quality, and ethical obligations to patients.
  22 million people+, including many children, could die from preventable causes by 2030 as a result of U.S. and European aid cuts鈥攖he first time in decades that France, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. are all cutting aid at the same time, per a new analysis submitted to The Lancet Global Health (not yet published, pending peer review).  

Nestl茅 is still adding sugar to most baby cereals sold across Africa, per an investigation by Public Eye鈥攁 Swiss group that accuses the company of contributing to 鈥渁 preventable public health catastrophe鈥� amid rising childhood obesity rates in Africa.  
A group of South Carolina lawmakers are advancing a bill that would allow judges to sentence women who get abortions to decades in prison; it could also restrict the use of IUDs and in vitro fertilization. IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE Medical doctor and surgeon Bibi Khadija Sadat completes a C-section after assisting another surgeon at the maternity unit of the provincial hospital in Ghazni, Afghanistan, on August 27. Elise Blanchard/Getty Low-Hanging Fruit for the 鈥楢merica First鈥� Global Health Strategy     The new America First Global Health Strategy makes no mention of global surgery鈥攂ut it should, .      Why? Solving the surgical care gap may be 鈥渢he proven cost-effective, lifesaving target that the U.S. Department of State seeks,鈥� write the authors from Harvard Medical School鈥檚 Program in Global Surgery and Social Change. 

• are lost annually to diseases, mostly noncommunicable, that require surgery鈥攆ar surpassing the toll of historic U.S. foreign aid priorities that emphasized infectious diseases. 

Synergies with surgery: Momentum to close the surgical care gap is already underway.  

• ~30 LMICs have already developed that 鈥渟eamlessly align with the tenets of the U.S.'s new global health strategy,鈥� which requires aid-receiving countries to coinvest as a bridge to self-sufficiency. 

• The NSOAPs identify specific infrastructure, workforce, and information technology goals, three pillars of the U.S. plan. 

Strengthening the surgical system strengthens the entire health system鈥攁nd that鈥檚 鈥渢he best defense against pandemics鈥攁 core pillar of the U.S. plan,鈥� write Dawood and Park, who also detail more of the strategy鈥檚 silver linings鈥撯�揳nd opportunities for integration that 鈥渁id-seeking countries cannot afford to overlook.鈥濃��      GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES DEMENTIA Rethinking Elder Care     Efforts to build 鈥渄ementia villages鈥� in Washington, D.C., are gaining traction, as advocates push to overhaul the caregiving model for a rapidly growing dementia population.  

• D.C. has the nation鈥檚 highest dementia rate, affecting 16% of its seniors鈥攎any of whom are Black and more likely to live alone.  

The model: a community in the Netherlands called , where residents are able to live in small households, shop, garden, and move freely with support.     The bigger picture: With U.S. dementia cases projected to double by 2060, specialists say a paradigm shift in care鈥攊ncluding housing and caregiver support鈥攁re urgently needed.         Related: Dementia housing without locked wards? It's a small but growing movement 鈥�   QUICK HITS In Gaza and Beyond, Child Marriage Persists Long After a Ceasefire 鈥�     DOGE Man Drives US Bilateral Health Agreements With African Countries 鈥�     C.D.C. Links Measles Outbreaks in Multiple States for First Time 鈥�     Texas measles outbreak may have spurred parents to vaccinate infants before CDC responded 鈥�     Health data staggers back post-shutdown 鈥�     Why I moved my research to China from Germany: a biologist鈥檚 experience 鈥�   Issue No. 2824
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 New Climate-Health Blueprint; and Lithuania Lowers Its Suicide Rate November 17, 2025 TOP STORIES

Ethiopia confirmed three deaths from the Marburg outbreak today, ; the Africa CDC reported earlier that at least nine cases have been detected so far and that the virus strain is the same one reported in outbreaks in East Africa.

Washington state has confirmed the U.S.鈥檚 first human case of bird flu in at least eight months; the type, H5N5, has previously not been reported in humans, but officials say the risk to the public remains low.  

Mosquito-borne illnesses in Cuba are having an 鈥渁cute鈥� impact nationwide, with diseases like dengue and chikungunya affecting nearly one-third of the country鈥檚 population.

The first known death from alpha-gal syndrome鈥攁 red meat allergy caused by tick bites鈥攈as been , after researchers linked the sudden death of a 47-year-old New Jersey man to the allergy.  

IN FOCUS The flooded entrance of the Mae de Deus Hospital after heavy rains battered Brazilian State of Rio Grande Do Sul. May 6, 2024, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Max Peixoto/Getty A New Climate-Health Blueprint 
As climate change takes an increasing toll on human health and health systems worldwide, dozens of , a voluntary framework outlining a series of actions for stronger disease surveillance, climate-resilient health facilities, and protections for vulnerable communities, .    Health systems under strain: Extreme heat, floods, and droughts are already driving disease outbreaks and food insecurity, and overwhelming health services.  

• 鈥淭he time of warnings has finished. Now we are living in a time of consequences,鈥� said Brazil鈥檚 health minister Alexandre Padilha.  

Plan particulars: The plan emphasizes early-warning systems and cleaner and more reliable energy for clinics, . 

• Yet the plan 鈥渙nly gestures at water, sanitation, and hygiene and fails to provide concrete strategies for improving access to clean water,鈥� .

Big ambition, minimal funding: Despite broad endorsements, no new government financing accompanied the launch. 

• A one-time $300 million philanthropic pledge falls far short of the tens of billions in annual funding experts say LMICs need for basic adaptation. 

Related: Small Island Nations Remain Sidelined at Climate Conferences 鈥�   DATA POINT

1 million+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Lives in lower-income countries saved by cervical cancer vaccines after a three-year effort鈥撯�揳 milestone announced on the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day today. 鈥�
  MENTAL HEALTH Lithuania Lowers Its Suicide Rate    In the 20 years since Lithuania joined the EU, the country has more than halved its suicide rate, from ~44 deaths per 100,000 people in 2004 to 19.5.     This turnaround follows years of national initiatives, community-based services, and a cultural shift away from the stigma surrounding mental health. 
  Key interventions:  

• A network of 10,000 鈥済atekeepers鈥� trained to recognize and support at-risk people. 

• Free municipal psychological well-being centers. 

• A national suicide-prevention algorithm to flag suicide risk. 

• A helpline for seniors, who are especially at risk. 

• Stricter alcohol control laws. 

Remaining gaps:  

• Older adults are vulnerable as services move online. 

• Many of Lithuania鈥檚 ~42,000 Ukrainian refugees need mental health support.  

  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Hey Parliament, our kids are getting addicted to vapes. Let鈥檚 put an end to it 鈥�      Iran's Water Crisis Nears Point Of No Return 鈥�     A stock of U.S.-bought birth control, meant for sub-Saharan Africa, goes bad in Belgium 鈥�     UK warned that 15% cut to health fund will force 鈥榠mpossible choices鈥� on Africa 鈥�     National Institutes of Health staffer put on nondisciplinary leave after criticizing NIH politicization 鈥�     Finnish-Style Baby Boxes Get a New York Twist 鈥�   Issue No. 2823
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: New Hope for Malaria Treatment; and The Curious Case of 鈥淔edora Man鈥� November 13, 2025 TOP STORIES Hypertension rates among children and adolescents worldwide have almost doubled since 2000 to 6.5% for boys and 5.8% for girls, per a new study by Zhejiang University researchers and colleagues in .  

The restoration of full SNAP food aid in the U.S. is on an uncertain timeline for the 42 million Americans who depend on the program to buy groceries, even as the federal government reopens; U.S. officials say the funds should be loaded onto cards within 24 hours for most states, but the process could be more complicated in some places.

The Epstein-Barr virus, harmless for most people, may be behind nearly all lupus cases, per a new study by Stanford researchers in ; the discovery opens up possibilities for next-generation treatments.      A South African pharma company is launching trials of a cholera vaccine made from scratch鈥攖he first such effort in Africa and an important step toward the continent鈥檚 goal of producing 60% of its routine vaccines.    IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE GanLum product sachets and granules at Novartis manufacturing site in Slovenia, October 2024. Novartis New Hope for Malaria Treatment    For the first time in 20+ years, a next-generation anti-malarial drug is on the horizon鈥攁 critical development amid rising drug resistance to current treatments, per findings presented Tuesday at the .    The current landscape: The standard treatment used in 90% of malaria cases now is a class of drugs known as artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). But partial resistance to artemisinin is growing.     The new drug: The alternative treatment鈥攇anaplacide/lumefantrine, or GanLum鈥攊s a compound that targets malaria parasites at two key developmental stages to both treat infection and block transmission. 

• GanLum, which was developed by Novartis and the Medicines for Malaria Venture, showed a 99.2% cure rate in a Phase III trial among 1,688 adults and children across 12 African countries, outperforming ACTs.  

• The drug was given as a sachet of granules once a day for three days.  

What鈥檚 next: Pending approval, the drug could reach patients within ~18 months, potentially expanding the arsenal of drugs against a disease that kills ~600,000 people annually.  

• Malaria experts say GanLum should be prioritized in at-risk countries鈥攖hough cost may dictate its rollout.  

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES OPPORTUNITY Call for Applications 
The UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) invites applications to stimulate implementation research to advance visceral leishmaniasis (VL) elimination efforts in eastern Africa.  
Eligibility is limited to applicants from LMICs who have been engaged and have expertise in implementation research and in VL prevention and control. 
  Successful applicants (up to four) will each receive funding for up to $25,000 per proposal to conduct research in one or more designated areas of focus. 

•  
• Deadline for submissions: November 19 (17:00 CET) 

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION The Curious Case of 鈥淔edora Man鈥�    In the news footage surrounding the Louvre crown jewels heist last month, one AP photo was especially arresting. In it, three police officers guard a museum entrance while a mysterious man bedecked in a fedora and waistcoat strides forward with an umbrella鈥斺�渁 flash of film noir in a modern-day manhunt.鈥�     The mystery: Who was 鈥淔edora Man,鈥� as he was instantly dubbed by the internet? An old-school sleuth? An Indiana Jones-esque treasure hunter? Or an A.I.-generated hoax?     The reveal: Turns out the fashionable photobomber was 15-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux, a museum visitor who had chosen the look for a Louvre trip with his family because, in his words, 鈥淚 like to be chic.鈥�      The plot twist: When Pedro realized he was the accidental subject of a viral sensation, he did not rush to publicly identify himself. Instead, the teen鈥攁 fan of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot鈥攃hose to savor the speculation. 

• 鈥淲ith this photo there is a mystery, so you have to make it last,鈥� he said.  

  QUICK HITS Exclusive: Wild form of polio found in German sewage sample, health institute says 鈥�     Warnings rise for U.S. as severe flu strain causes outbreaks in Canada, U.K. 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;     鈥楿tter hypocrisy鈥�: tobacco firm lobbied against rules in Africa that are law in UK 鈥�     Antibodies against Lyme disease resurge after booster dose of Valneva's vaccine candidate, phase 2 data show 鈥�     Scientists Grow More Hopeful About Ending a Global Organ Shortage 鈥�   Issue No. 2822
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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96 Global Health NOW: Turning the Tide on TB鈥擣or Now; and Steps and Setbacks in Pakistan鈥檚 First HPV Campaign November 12, 2025 TOP STORIES Texas has seen 3,500 cases of whooping cough so far this year鈥�10X the number in 2023 and the highest in 11 years, coinciding with slipping vaccination rates.  
UN agencies say that Israel is blocking shipments of baby bottles and vaccination supplies from entering Gaza; Israel claims the items are 鈥渄ual-use鈥� (usable for both military and civilian purposes).  
Mpox infection can trigger strong immunity against future infections for up to two years鈥攍onger-term protection than current vaccines confer, .     Cooling demand could more than triple by 2050鈥攄oubling AC-related greenhouse gas emissions to ~7.2 billion tons by 2050, compared to 2022 levels, that includes a strategy to slash those emissions to ~2.6 billion tons.   IN FOCUS A patient with tuberculosis holds his chest x-rays during a routine consultation with a doctor at a M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res clinic. Mumbai, India, March 22, 2022. Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Turning the Tide on TB鈥擣or Now     Tuberculosis cases and deaths have declined for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 2% reduction in cases and 3% drop in deaths between 2023 and 2024 reflecting hard-won gains in diagnosis and treatment.  
And yet: TB was still the world鈥檚 deadliest infectious disease last year, killing 1.2 million+ people and infecting ~10.7 million.  

• And funding gaps threaten to undermine fragile progress. 

Those are some of the key findings of the .     Other insights:  

• 65 countries saw a 35%+ drop in TB-related deaths. The African and European regions especially saw steep declines, with deaths dropping 46% and 49%, respectively. 

• Rapid testing coverage rose to 54% from 48%, and ~78% of people who fell ill with TB worldwide were diagnosed and treated. The highest burdens of disease were reported in India (25%) and Indonesia (10%).  

Funding crisis looms: Despite advances, significant funding gaps persist, exacerbated by cuts to international donor funding鈥攚hich could result in ~2 million additional deaths between 2025 and 2035. 

• Along those lines, UK officials confirmed yesterday that the country will cut its financial contribution to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 15%, .  

Related:     'Needle in a haystack' experiments reveal targets for new tuberculosis vaccines 鈥�

Tuberculosis: stigma is fading but the threat remains 鈥�      UCT-led study finds four in five adults with TB have no symptoms 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CERVICAL CANCER Steps and Setbacks in Pakistan鈥檚 First HPV Campaign    Pakistan rolled out its first-ever HPV vaccination campaign this fall in an effort to protect girls from cervical cancer, the country鈥檚 third most common cancer.     But uptake fell far below targets set by health officials, who said widespread misinformation led to parental resistance.    
Mixed results: The campaign, supported by Gavi, UNICEF, and WHO, aimed to reach 90% of roughly 13 million eligible girls ages 9鈥�14, but achieved ~70% coverage. 
Barriers: Many parents and schools opted out, citing cultural sensitivities around sexual health or social media-driven rumors that the vaccine affects fertility.  

• 鈥淥ur biggest challenge was to counter misinformation,鈥� said Khurram Akram, technical director at Pakistan Federal Directorate of Immunizations.  

  QUICK HITS Israel鈥檚 longest war is leaving a trail of traumatized soldiers, with suicides also on the rise 鈥�

Third of donated Japanese mpox vaccines going to waste in Congo amid storage challenge 鈥�

African countries boost family planning funding in 鈥榮hift from dependency鈥� after aid cuts 鈥�     The MAHA-Fueled Rise of Natural Family Planning 鈥�     The Cancer Misinformation Train: When Influencers Co-Opt Care 鈥�     Want a younger brain? Learn another language 鈥�

The Epidemiologists Are Running for Office 鈥�   Issue No. 2821
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: Big Tobacco鈥檚 Legislative Coups; and Senegal鈥檚 Disease Sentinel November 11, 2025 TOP STORIES Canada鈥攁nd, by extension, the entire Americas region鈥攈as officially lost its measles elimination status; the designation is reversible, however, if the current outbreak ends and no new cases are reported for a year.      Millions of young children with neglected tropical diseases currently excluded from ivermectin treatment could be safely included, per a double-blinded trial testing the drug鈥檚 safety and efficacy on small children with scabies in The Gambia, Kenya, and Brazil.  
  Ukrainian medics are reporting cases of gas gangrene, a bacterial infection not seen in Europe for generations; they blame dramatically slowed evacuations of wounded soldiers caused by drone warfare.
  The FDA lifted a black box warning about stroke, heart attack, dementia, and other risks from hormone-based menopause drugs yesterday; some physicians hailed the move, but others questioned the lack of transparency in the process.   IN FOCUS Customs officers burn cigarettes seized from illegal trade during a press conference in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on July 22. Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP via Getty Big Tobacco鈥檚 Legislative Coups    Aggressive tobacco industry tactics have beat back legislation against its products and garnered support from multiple countries in the past two years, that tracks industry interference.  
  Tactics: Industry has won favor by paying for junkets (such as visiting Philip Morris International鈥檚 facility in Switzerland), promising investment and jobs, and showcasing corporate social responsibility projects that draw attention from its negative impacts.  
Big Tobacco wins:  

• Legislative leaders in 14 countries have filed pro-industry bills or delayed passage of new anti-tobacco laws, per the report by the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control and STOP, an industry watchdog. 

• 20 countries have signed memorandums of understanding with tobacco companies to tackle tobacco smuggling. 

• 10 countries have delayed or rejected tax increases. 

Better news:  

• 18 countries have adopted new anti-tobacco measures. 

• 20+ countries have banned donations from the tobacco industry. 

• 46 have banned e-cigarettes. 

High costs: Tobacco killed  in 2023, and caused  in health care expenses and losses in productivity. 
The Quote: 鈥淭obacco taxes should go up more so people will smoke less and governments can fund other health priorities,鈥� says report lead author Mary Assunta, . 
Related: Smoked out: How Europe鈥檚 illegal tobacco market drains public coffers 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEALTH SURVEILLANCE Senegal鈥檚 Disease Sentinel 
  When patients at clinics throughout Senegal test positive for diseases like malaria, their cases are linked to a digital 鈥渨eb of surveillance鈥� maintained by hospitals and clinics throughout the country.  

• The system, Senegal鈥檚 Syndromic Sentinel Surveillance System (鈥�4S鈥�), is run by the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, and allows health officials to quickly trace disease patterns in real time.  

• So far, the system has flagged malaria mutations, dengue outbreaks, and the spread of West Nile virus.  

Regional expansion: The 4S model now spans 10 West African countries, creating a 鈥渞egional tripwire鈥� that detects outbreaks.  
  Funding threats: U.S. aid cuts this year threaten the network鈥檚 growth, even as scientists call it essential to Africa鈥檚 epidemic preparedness.    OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS An emerging shutdown deal doesn鈥檛 extend expiring health subsidies. Here鈥檚 what could happen to them 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Vaccine advice: how a US centre is filling growing gaps in public-health information 鈥�

The anti-vaccine movement isn鈥檛 satisfied with winning over the GOP 鈥�

鈥榃hy I flew to Cambodia to vaccinate dogs after watching my mum die of rabies鈥� 鈥�

A Grave Condition Caused by C-Sections Is on the Rise 鈥�

How a childhood virus can contribute to dementia later and what you can do 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

In Defence of E-Bikes 鈥�&苍产蝉辫; Issue No. 2820
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 Sharp Climb in Kidney Disease; and The Possibilities and Predicaments of Artificial Wombs November 10, 2025 TOP STORIES One-Liners   Seven Democratic senators agreed to advance an agreement to end the U.S. government shutdown, accepting a Republican promise to vote on 鈥渆xtending Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.鈥�   
Nigeria鈥檚 Lassa fever death toll has reached 176 so far this year, with 955 confirmed cases, ; meanwhile, a candidate Lassa fever vaccine has been found safe and created a strong immune response in adults, per .      Indonesian mothers are leading mass protests after thousands of students suffered food poisoning from the country鈥檚 new free meals program meant to stem malnutrition and stunted growth.     The U.S. is demanding that countries agree to share information on 鈥減athogens with epidemic potential鈥� in exchange for restoring some health aid鈥攚ithout assurances of fair access to vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics developed from shared information; the bilateral deals could 鈥減otentially torpedo鈥� a WHO-led system under negotiation.   IN FOCUS A nurse cares for a hemodialysis patient at the Yuping Dong Autonomous County People's Hospital, in Tongren, Guizhou province, China, on February 26. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty A Sharp Climb in Kidney Disease    Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now the ninth leading cause of death globally, up from the 27th in 1990, .     By the numbers: In 2023, CKD affected ~788 million people ages 20+ worldwide, or ~14% of the global population鈥攗p from ~12% in 1990.  

• The disease also claimed 1.48 million lives.  

Driving factors: Researchers say the increase is tied to the global rise in diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, all of which damage blood vessels and strain the kidneys, . It is also reflective of an aging population.      Global overview: China has the largest population living with CKD at 152 million, followed by India at 138 million, .  

• Prevalence is highest in North Africa and the Middle East.  

The need for screening: The condition remains underdiagnosed, say nephrologists, who stressed the need for a wider adoption of blood and urine tests for at-risk individuals, .  

• A range of recently developed drugs and interventions can slow kidney damage鈥攂ut early diagnosis is critical. 

DATA POINT


250 million
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺��
People forced to flee their homes by weather-related disasters over the past decade, coinciding with today鈥檚 launch of the 30th annual UN Climate Change conference (COP) in Bel茅m, Brazil. 鈥�
  INFANT MORTALITY The Possibilities and Predicaments of Artificial Wombs      Scientists have made significant strides in efforts to develop an 鈥渁rtificial womb鈥� that can help extremely premature babies survive outside of the human body.    A delicate process: One prototype created by Dutch startup AquaWomb is a fluid-filled, temperature-controlled vessel where a baby鈥檚 umbilical cord connects to a mechanical placenta that delivers oxygen and nutrients until the infant鈥檚 lungs mature.    And an ethical debate: Bioethicists warn that artificial wombs could raise new moral and legal questions around viability, and reframe reproductive policy.     Where development stands: The technology has already been used with fetal lambs. 

• In 2023, the U.S. FDA convened experts to consider allowing the first human trials; however, the agency has not signaled if or when such trials could be greenlighted.  

  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Waiting for the all-clear: how medics and villagers rallied when Ebola returned to DRC  鈥�     Disinvesting in the future leadership of global health has already begun: What can we do about it? 鈥�      The fight over SNAP benefits continues 鈥� and so does the mom guilt 鈥�  
Doctor in Sudan wins $1 million prize for his extraordinary courage: 'It is my duty' 鈥�  
Pressure to publish is rising as research time shrinks, finds survey of scientists 鈥�   
Disease of 1,000 faces shows how science is tackling immunity鈥檚 dark side 鈥�  
Hospital CEO Pay Is Too Damn High 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!   Issue No. 2819
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: Dispatches from Bogot脿; and No Crocodile Tears Here November 6, 2025 TOP STORIES Stories of Chinese women severely beaten and even killed by their husbands have rocketed across social media, exposing authorities鈥� preference for treating domestic violence as a family issue.     A shocking, night-vision video of a rat grabbing and killing a flying bat provides first-ever evidence of how pathogens can move from bats to rats鈥攁nd then potentially spill over to humans.   
  Rates of drug-resistant bacterial blood infections will surge 22% to 62% among some European populations through 2030, per estimates in a new  based on the aging population and infection trends.      Just 23% of Americans got a Covid jab during the 2024-25 virus season, and that coverage will likely tumble further this year amid confusing access rules after the U.S. government narrowed its Covid vaccine recommendations.   ICFP EXCLUSIVE Illustration courtesy of Rutgers 鈥楾he Law Alone Is Not Protection鈥� 
Victim-survivors of sexual violence in West and Central Africa face a maze of barriers to obtain abortion care鈥攅ven when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest and when safe abortion is legally permitted, released yesterday at the International Conference on Family Planning in Bogot脿, Colombia. 

• Every nine seconds in West and Central Africa, an unsafe abortion puts a woman鈥檚 life at risk. 

• The study collected testimonies from women and girls who, after being raped, tried to end their pregnancies on their own, in five countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, C么te d鈥橧voire, Togo, and Cameroon. 

• Barriers include requirements to prove they were assaulted that retraumatize, health workers who are uncertain on the law, procedural delays, and deep-rooted stigma. 

鈥淏ehind every unsafe abortion we recorded was a story of fear, pressure or silence鈥攏ever one of free choice,鈥� says lead researcher Jonna Both.鈥� The law alone is not protection鈥攖hat鈥檚 really clear in West and Central Africa and across the globe.鈥� 
At an ICFP briefing yesterday, leaders from MSI Reproductive Choices and Jacaranda Health joined the Rutgers researchers to discuss the global nature of the threat, especially as the U.S. budget cuts and policy changes under the Trump administration could lead to more restrictions on access for countries around the world.   
  ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Defending Against Dust Storms     As dust storms in the western U.S grow more frequent and severe due to climate change, researchers are seeking new strategies to protect soil health鈥攁nd human health.    A 鈥渄usty inferno鈥�: Earlier this year, New Mexico experienced a record 50 dust storms, with winds surpassing 70 mph. Researchers say decades of drought have created 鈥渢he perfect recipe鈥� for such events.    Sweeping health impacts: Beyond causing widespread environmental damage, the storms also spread diseases like Valley Fever and cause lasting damage to respiratory health.     Seeding solutions: In over-grazed places like Lordsburg Playa, New Mexico, officials are using regenerative soil-building practices to restore protective native plants and cover crops that curb dust.      ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION No Crocodile Tears Here    It has been said that trying to explain a joke is like dissecting a frog: the frog always dies in the process.     It seems better then to keep the frogs alive and instead contemplate humor through photos of them being goofy: ; or      These snapshots are just a few among the "cracking collection鈥� of finalists for this year鈥檚 , the annual global competition for witty wildlife photography, .  

• Photographers submitted ~10,000 images from 108 countries this year. 

A gaggle of giggles: Other highlights include a , a trio of , and a . QUICK HITS 20 years of tobacco control in the EU: are we moving towards a tobacco-free future? 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;     The 鈥榃orst Test in Medicine鈥� Is Driving America鈥檚 High C-Section Rate 鈥�   Covid jab less harmful than the virus itself, study reveals 鈥�     ADHD services shutting door to new NHS patients as demand soars, BBC finds 鈥�     Public health defends its time-tested approach against the rise of MAHA 鈥�   Issue No. 2817
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: Gold Mining, Mercury, and the Amazon鈥檚 Mothers; and Dispatches from Bogot脿: ICFP 2025 November 5, 2025 TOP STORIES Nearly two-thirds of European parents with children who are overweight or obese think their kids are underweight or normal weight, .  
  Flu samples sent to the U.S. CDC by other countries have fallen by 60% this year, making it harder for the U.S. to target vaccines against flu viruses with the most pandemic potential.   
  Influenza can increase stroke risk by 5X within a month of infection, .  
  The White House is closing in on a deal with pharma companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to drop the cost of their top obesity drugs to $149 per month in some cases, in return for limited Medicare coverage for the drugs.   IN FOCUS Aerial view of an illegal mining camp during an operation by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources against Amazon deforestation in Roraima State, Brazil, on February 24, 2023. Alan Chaves/AFP via Getty Images Gold Mining, Mercury, and the Amazon鈥檚 Mothers     Brazilian researchers are finding mounting proof that mercury from illegal Amazon gold mining is linked to neurological disorders and disabilities among Indigenous children.    Background: As illegal mining has proliferated in the region, rivers鈥攌ey to the livelihoods of Indigenous people鈥攈ave become contaminated with mercury, as have the fish eaten as staple food.     Emerging evidence: In recent years, health officials have reported dozens of patients in the region鈥攎ostly children鈥攚ith neurological disorders.  

• While scientists have long suspected mercury as the culprit, a groundbreaking study tracking 176 pregnant women and their babies aims to find more definitive answers. 

• Already, preliminary findings show that the mothers have mercury levels 5X higher than considered safe.  

  GHN EXCLUSIVE REPORT Dispatches from Bogot脿: ICFP 2025    GHN is on the ground in Bogot脿, Colombia, for the International Conference on Family Planning 2025!  
Here鈥檚 a snapshot of takeaways so far, starting with a startling stat:  

• For the cost of a cappuccino in many countries鈥�$8 per person per year鈥攚e could cover the $54 billion gap in unmet demand for contraception. That鈥檚 just one eye-opening figure from the released as ICFP got underway earlier this week. 

• Expanding the tent: A session highlighting an effort to incorporate Islamic values into a sexual education program in Indonesia is one of several exploring ways to engage religious leaders, male allies, and other partners to boost sexual and reproductive health rights for all.  

• Fails for the win: A Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs session on normalizing failure featured panelists brave enough to share a work 鈥渇ail,鈥� and how they channeled it for growth, sharing pro tips, ideas, and resources鈥攆rom hosting a 鈥淔ail Fest鈥� to a CCP Learning from Failure module.  

Look for more ICFP news in tomorrow鈥檚 GHN鈥攁nd if you鈥檙e at the conference, please let Dayna know鈥攚e鈥檇 love to hear from you!    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Dick Cheney had five heart attacks. Here's how science helped him live until 84. 鈥�     Climate-fighting efforts show slight gain but still fall far short, UN says 鈥�     Increased STI diagnoses in gay men with HIV are mainly due to more testing 鈥�     U.K. science sector is 鈥榖leeding to death,鈥� lawmakers say in alarming report 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;  
States make progress in removing barriers to opioid use disorder medications 鈥�  
  Women must be warned of home birth risks and have access to skilled midwives, experts say 鈥�     The Road to Secure Biological Sample Transportation in Central Africa 鈥�   Issue No. 2817
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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96 Global Health NOW: An Epidemic of Inequality; and GHN鈥檚 Untold Stories Contest November 4, 2025 TOP STORIES The long-besieged cities of al-Fashir in Darfur and Kadugli in Sudan's south are officially in famine, according to the U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.  

928 million women in 128 low- and middle-income countries want to avoid pregnancy, according to one of two Guttmacher reports released at yesterday鈥檚 opening of the International Conference on Family Planning in Bogot谩, Colombia.     
A common malaria test in Asia and South America is providing false negatives, potentially delaying treatment for people with the disease, ; the WHO has been investigating the finding since April.  
The Maldives has banned the purchase or even use of tobacco by anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007, making the island nation the first country to enact a generational smoking ban.   IN FOCUS A homeless person sleeps rough on the street outside The Hamilton Live venue, just a few hundred meters from the White House, in Washington, D.C., on May 27. STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images An Epidemic of Inequality    Economic inequality leads to entrenched disease that drives further economic vulnerability and hollowed-out health care鈥攁 鈥渧icious cycle鈥� that increasingly threatens global stability and outbreak response, released ahead of this month鈥檚 G20 meetings in Johannesburg.    COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and mpox have all become deadlier and longer lasting because of unequal access to critical health care, housing, and work. Historically, epidemics have led to 鈥渁 persistent increase in inequality鈥� that peaked ~5 years later, found the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, .     A snapshot of disparity: The COVID-19 pandemic pushed 165 million people into poverty and raised the debt burden of low-income countries to $3 trillion+, .  

• Meanwhile, the world鈥檚 richest gained 25% more wealth during COVID-19. 

• 鈥淭he rich had a very good pandemic 鈥� while poorer people got poorer,鈥� said Michael Marmot, director of the Institute of Health Equity at University College London. 

Breaking the cycle: The report鈥檚 policy recommendations include:  

• Remove debt. 

• Invest in social determinants of health like housing and education. 

• Ensure fair access to medicines and technology. 

• Strengthen community-led disease response. 

鈥淚nequality is not inevitable鈥攊t鈥檚 a political choice,鈥� said Monica Geingos, co-chair of the council.   OPPORTUNITY Traditional floating market at Lok Baintan River, Indonesia. iStock/Getty A Chance for the Spotlight 
Know of an underreported issue in global health? , co-sponsored by the  and .  
  How it works: Just explain your idea鈥攚hether it鈥檚 something you鈥檝e worked on or come across in your travels鈥攁nd why you think it deserves more attention in 150 words or less. If you win, we鈥檒l help you shine a spotlight on your issue. 
Extra incentive: The winner receives a free registration for the CUGH annual meeting in Washington, DC, April 9鈥�12, 2026. 

• Nominations Deadline: November 24, 2025 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Trump says SNAP will be half funded in November. What does that mean? 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;     New deaths, hospitalizations reported in connection with listeria outbreak tied to ready-to-eat pasta 鈥�     Young Russians are being seduced by a cheap, dangerous weight-loss pill called Molecule 鈥�     First clinical trial of pig kidney transplants gets underway 鈥�     Specific human gene can help the heart repair itself from heart attack or heart failure 鈥�   Issue No. 2816
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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  Copyright 2025 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.


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96 Global Health NOW: 鈥楧evastating鈥� Upheaval in the Obamacare Marketplace; and Preventing Preterm Births in Australia November 3, 2025 TOP STORIES Mpox has spread in 17 countries in Africa over the past six weeks, , with ~2,860 cases and 17 deaths between Sept. 14 and Oct. 19; Malaysia, Namibia, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain have also detected Clade Ib mpox for the first time since the last report.      Support for the MMR vaccine has dropped among U.S. adults from 90% to 82% within just a few months, at the University of Pennsylvania, which also found that 43% of adults do not know whether HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recommends the MMR vaccine.     The WHO is giving new guidance for countries to respond to the global health funding crisis as aid from the U.S. and other countries is cut this year by ~30%鈥�50%; suggested measures include protecting essential health services and prioritizing health care accessed most by the poorest.     Autism diagnosis rates are higher among children born to mothers who tested positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy, , which analyzed 18,000+ births in Brigham health system from March 2020 to May 2021; risk differences were most pronounced among boys and when infection occurred in the third trimester.   IN FOCUS The healthcare.gov website, where millions of Americans buy their health insurance, seen on a laptop in Norfolk, Virginia, on November 1. Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images  Upheaval in the Obamacare Marketplace    The ~24 million Americans relying on health insurance provided through state- and federally run marketplaces commonly known as Obamacare are facing steep price hikes and confusion as open enrollment kicks off amid political turmoil, expiring subsidies, and the government shutdown, .    The marketplaces, including Healthcare.gov, opened Saturday for 2026 coverage, and the sticker shock varies from state to state鈥攚ith average premiums rising 114%,     Factors at play:    Subsidy standoff: Democrats and Republicans have clashed over extending pandemic-era 鈥渆nhanced鈥� subsidies that expire Dec. 31. 

• Depending on how states step in to cover subsidies, the increased amount enrollees will pay varies widely鈥攆rom 30% in Maryland to 175% in New Jersey鈥攚ithout the extension.  

Rising prices: Premium spikes were already expected to be some of the highest in the marketplace鈥檚 history, , with ACA insurance providers raising prices by an average of ~26%, .     States are left in limbo as they oversee the rollout of new plans while also planning for a potential agreement in Congress that could alter prices.  

• 鈥淚t鈥檚 devastating. We鈥檝e gotten to the point that real people are in the middle of this now,鈥� said Jessica Altman, executive director of California鈥檚 state exchange. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Preventing Preterm Births in Australia    Australia has significantly curbed preterm births since introducing a landmark prevention program in 2018, with the national rate dropping 7%鈥�10%鈥攐r ~4,000 fewer early births each year, .     The federally funded initiative was supported 鈥渁ll the way down through to individual hospitals,鈥� explained John Newnham, who led the program. Key strategies include:  

• No elective deliveries before 39 weeks without medical justification. 

• Measuring cervix length at all mid-pregnancy scans. 

• Interventions including progesterone and surgical procedures.  

• Smoking cessation support if needed. 

• Continuity of care from a known midwife. 

  QUICK HITS Child bride faces execution in Iran unless she pays 拢80,000 in 鈥榖lood money鈥� 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;      FDA restricts use of kids' fluoride supplements, citing emerging health risks 鈥�     FDA鈥檚 top drug regulator resigns after federal officials probe 鈥榮erious concerns鈥� about his conduct 鈥�     Firms ordered to reduce forever chemicals in drinking water sources for 6 million people 鈥�     Alzheimer鈥檚 might be powered by a broken sleep-wake cycle 鈥�     Why this clinical trial is offering some young cancer patients hope 鈥�   Issue No. 2815
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:

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  Copyright 2025 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.


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October 30, 2025 | ISSUE 2814

听TOP STORIES

Sudan鈥檚 paramilitary Rapid Support Forces killed 460 people, including patients, Tuesday in a North Darfur hospital, the latest atrocity in a two-year civil war that has left at least 40,000 dead.

Flu, COVID-19, and other viral infections have been linked to increased risk of heart disease and stroke, ; it found risk of heart attack spikes 3X within weeks after a COVID-19 infection and 4X after a flu infection.

A newly discovered antibiotic is 100X stronger against superbugs and so far shows no signs of resistance, ; the potent compound, called pre-methylenomycin C lactone, had been 鈥渉iding in plain sight鈥� in a familiar bacterium. 听

Generic versions of biologics (medications derived from living organisms) will be developed under an expedited timeframe, , as a part of a Trump administration plan to lower pharmaceutical costs.

听IN FOCUS

Federal workers impacted by the government shutdown, including TSA officers and air-traffic controllers, line up to receive food parcels at Newark Liberty International Airport, in New Jersey, on October 27. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

U.S. Enters Uncharted Territory on Hunger 听

U.S. families who rely on federal food assistance are facing deep uncertainty this week. On Nov. 1, 40 million+ people risk losing critical food benefits as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) runs out of money due to the government shutdown. That funding crisis comes as new SNAP work requirements go into effect鈥攎eaning 2.4 million Americans may lose eligibility for the program, even as food prices rise. 听

Amid the confusion, experts working in hunger and nutrition are also losing a roadmap they have relied on for 30 years: the Household Food Security Survey and the corresponding annual report, which has informed food assistance policy for three decades. 听

Background: The hunger survey and report were launched in 1996 to better understand food insecurity in the U.S. and to assess whether food assistance programs were working. That data shaped the country鈥檚 . 听

Report rescinded: In September, the USDA discontinued the report, with Trump administration officials calling it 鈥渞edundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous.鈥� 听

• Researchers and advocates warn that the decision eliminates the only continuous, nationally representative data on food insecurity鈥攁nd harms the country鈥檚 chances of ending hunger. 听

  
  

• 鈥淭here鈥檚 no other data set in the United States where this has been consistently assessed for over 30 years鈥攁nd we鈥檙e going to be losing that,鈥� says Craig Gundersen, an economics professor at Baylor University. 听

Related: What Is SNAP? And Why Does It Matter? 鈥�

听DATA POINT

518,000+

鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�

Number of cholera cases reported across 32 countries from January through September; 6,508 deaths have been reported, surpassing last year鈥檚 toll. 鈥� 听

听ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Double, Double, Toil and Bubbles 听 听

Even on sunny days, car wash tunnels have an ominous enter-if-you-dare feel about them: the lashing water, the slapping tentacles of curtain mitts, the fee-fi-fo-thump of giant brushes. Black out the windows and switch on a fog machine, and suddenly seems like an entirely viable threat. 听

Such rinse-and-repeat nightmares have become standard at many such 鈥渉aunted car washes鈥� as the Halloween trend picks up across the U.S., .

Something wicked this way comes with a squeegee:

• At , doomed drivers enter under a sign cheerfully declaring 鈥淚t鈥檚 Your Time to Shine DIE鈥� before being terrorized by ghoulish figures staring in windows and yanking door handles. 听

  
  

• A grinning skeleton in a trucker hat haunts ; while a terrifying nun darts among the soap nozzles at .

All the terror translates to a bolstered bottom line, with some car washes doubling business the week before Halloween: a veritable graveyard smash.

听QUICK HITS

Teens who use weed before age 15 have more trouble later, a study finds 鈥�

Trump surgeon general nominee Casey Means faces US Senate hearing 鈥�

Trump administration seeks to study health effects of offshore wind 鈥�

Scans shed light on changes in brain when we zone out while tired 鈥�

听

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96 Global Health NOW: Meeting Clear and Present Climate-Driven Dangers and GHN鈥檚 Transformation October 29, 2025 TOP STORIES Hurricane Melissa slammed Cuba today after the Category 5 hurricane devastated western Jamaica yesterday; the full extent of the damage in Jamaica is not yet clear, though the prime minister said 鈥渟ome loss of life鈥� should be expected.     A 鈥淩wanda-style鈥� genocide is unfolding in real time in Sudan鈥攚ith a scale of violence unseen since the mass killings in Bosnia, Srebrenica, and, a generation ago, in Darfur, say Yale Humanitarian Research Lab observers.     India鈥檚 7-year-old nationwide health insurance plan has brought medical care within reach of 800+ million people鈥攂ut the government鈥檚 failure to pay $11.2 billion to providers is endangering the plan鈥檚 future.       The U.S. Veterans Affairs agency is making it hard for male veterans with breast cancer to get care because of an executive order signed by President Trump that seeks to restore 鈥渂iological truth鈥� in government.   EDITOR'S NOTE Hey Readers,     There鈥檚 no standing still in today鈥檚 turbulent media environment. So we鈥檙e not.     In the coming weeks, we鈥檒l be trying new approaches to GHN. Today, we鈥檙e frontloading the latest breaking and important news. And In Focus will dive deep into a major news story, an exclusive article, or a thoughtful commentary. We鈥檒l also publish fewer individual summaries to deliver a more readable, shareable newsletter.      Tell us what you think: Look for our upcoming surveys and email us your feedback.       Change can be hard, but I assure you one thing won鈥檛 change: Our commitment to deliver the essential news and views in global health.     Thanks,     Brian W. Simpson   Editor in Chief, Global Health NOW  bsimpso1@jhu.edu  IN FOCUS Firefighters extinguish wildfire in the peatlands of Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra, on September 26. Al Zulkifli/AFP via Getty Meeting Clear and Present Climate-Driven Dangers    As the world heads toward COP30 in Brazil, the stakes for human health are clear. Climate change is an escalating health emergency that is already claiming millions of human lives and reshaping communities worldwide, with especially deepening risks for Indigenous groups.     Intensifying toll: 鈥淎ll health risks of climate change are worsening at once,鈥� said Marina Romanello, executive director of the , which estimates that 2.5 million people die each year from air pollution linked to fossil fuels, .  

• Heat-related deaths have risen 23% since the 1990s. 

• Dengue transmission risk increased up to 49%.  

• 12 of 20 tracked health indicators reached record lows for the second year in a row. 

In , UN head Ant贸nio Guterres said an 鈥渋nevitable鈥� overshooting of the 1.5C target in the Paris Agreement will have 鈥渄evastating consequences鈥� for the world鈥攗rging countries to 鈥渃hange course鈥� immediately.      Indigenous impact: In a from tropical forest nations, 60%+ interviewees reported declining community health鈥攃iting droughts, floods, and mercury contamination, .     Policy priorities鈥攈uman vs. planet? Meanwhile, , Bill Gates argued for a 鈥渟trategic pivot鈥� in shifting climate efforts from emission cuts toward reducing human suffering through poverty reduction and disease prevention.  

• But critics say both goals should advance together, : 鈥淏oth are utterly feasible, and readily so, if the Big Oil lobby is brought under control,鈥� said Jeffrey Sachs, with Columbia University鈥檚 Center for Sustainable Development. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES NEGLECTED DISEASES Two Decades of Gains Against Overlooked Diseases    It has been 20 years since the WHO adopted a unified approach to tackling 20 neglected tropical diseases, consolidating disease-specific programs into a coordinated effort.    In that time, eradication initiatives have gained significant traction, 鈥渇reeing large sectors of populations from these ancient diseases,鈥�  
  Milestones: Since 2010, the number of people needing NTD interventions has fallen by 32%, from 2.2 billion to 1.5 billion in 2023.  

• 50+ countries have eliminated at least one NTD in the past decade, and NTD-related deaths have dropped from 139,000 to 119,000. 

Sustainability: By the end of 2024, 14 African countries had NTD plans.    Challenges: Funding has declined 41% since 2018, and major equity gaps persist.      OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS

Analysis: Last year's COVID vaccines protected well against severe illness 鈥�

Black women with fibroids face delays and poor care in the UK, says report 鈥�

Scientists had to change more than 700 grant titles to receive NIH funding. Health disparities researchers fear what鈥檚 next 鈥�

HHS Employees Now Being Measured By Loyalty To Trump's Policies 鈥�

As Americans Develop More Preventable Diseases, Lifesaving Data Remains Underused 鈥�

Schools close and island life is under threat as Greece reckons with low birth rates 鈥�  

Issue No. 2813
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: U.S., Canada Risk Measles-Free Status; WHO Warns of Tobacco Treaty Interference; and Brazil's Teen Pregnancy Turnaround October 28, 2025 A nurse demonstrates how to put on a mask at a measles screening point at Victoria Hospital, in London, Ontario, on July 9. Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty U.S., Canada Risk Measles-Free Status
The consequences of teetering government commitments to vaccines and falling vaccination rates are emerging across North America.    Measles-free no more: Canada and the U.S. are poised to lose their status as countries that have eliminated measles, . Canada鈥檚 year of continuous measles transmission and its 5,000+ cases this year make it likely that a November PAHO meeting will determine the country is no longer measles free. The U.S. may soon get the same label.      Muzzled experts: Doctors and public health experts in Florida have been reluctant to speak out about a state plan to end required childhood vaccinations, . 

• Pediatricians are afraid of losing business, county health department officials refer reporters to state officials, and University of Florida infectious disease experts were told not to speak to reporters without supervisor approval.  

Needed: 鈥淚t鈥檚 really those vaccine champions from communities that help improve vaccination, spread awareness about the need for vaccination, and kind of create the positive change that we need in order to ensure that these outbreaks don鈥檛 persist and don鈥檛 continue to happen,鈥� 9I制作厂免费 epidemiologist Nicole Basta .     Not needed: When a reporter asked Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo if his team had created computer models of potential outbreaks after the policy change, he replied 鈥渁bsolutely not,鈥� and added that parents鈥� freedom of choice wasn鈥檛 a scientific matter.     Related: 
Threat to U.S. vaccines as CDC staff supporting key advisory panel laid off 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;     Kansas City health experts say confusing CDC vaccine guidance risks wider spread of infections 鈥�      Measles outbreak in South Carolina grows; Canada鈥檚 elimination status threatened 鈥�&苍产蝉辫; DATA POINT

9 of 10
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Portion of air pollution-linked deaths attributable to noncommunicable diseases in 2023. 鈥�
  The Latest One-Liners   The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia is committing grave atrocities in Darfur鈥檚 regional capital, El Fasher, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) warns, citing ethnically motivated killings, summary executions of civilians attempting to flee the area, and attacks on humanitarian volunteers attempting to administer aid.
  Thousands of stillbirths鈥攏early 30%鈥攐ccur without clear warning signs or clinical risk factors, of ~2.8 million U.S. pregnancies that documented ~19,000 stillbirths between 2016 and 2022鈥攚ith Black families and poorer communities bearing a disproportionate toll.     Cigarette butts are an 鈥渙verlooked yet potent鈥� vector for antibiotic resistance genes, that detected 95 potential pathogens in cigarette butts collected from 105 urban green spaces and 35 cities across China.
  Weight loss drugs are lowering the U.S. obesity rate, albeit slowly鈥攆rom a high of 39.9% three years ago to 37% of U.S. adults this year, that shows a doubling in the number of people taking the drugs over the past year and a half.   BIG TOBACCO WHO Urges 鈥榁igilance鈥� Against Tobacco Treaty Interference  
The tobacco industry is ramping up efforts to undermine an international treaty to reduce smoking and vaping, ahead of a key meeting in Geneva next month, .

Background: The meeting will involve updates to the , a 20-year-old treaty with 183 signatories that includes policies on advertising limits, health warnings, and smoking bans.

Big Tobacco tactics: But ahead of the meeting, the WHO is urging governments to 鈥渞emain vigilant鈥� to various ways the tobacco industry is infiltrating and manipulating delegations, including posing as consumer, economic, or scientific groups to promote misinformation in 鈥渁 deliberate strategy to try to derail consensus.鈥�    Meanwhile, in the UK: A British lawmaker who is pushing against a proposed ban on tobacco to anyone born after 2008 has a relative who is 鈥渧ery high up鈥� at British American Tobacco, .  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES FAMILY PLANNING Brazil Turns Around its Teen Pregnancy Epidemic    Brazil once had one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Latin America, with ~750,000 Brazilian girls ages 15鈥�19 giving birth in 2000.     But over 25 years, births among that age have plummeted 44%, falling below 400,000 in 2019, with ~281,000 projected for 2025.    Contraception intervention: The primary driver for the reversal has been the rapid expansion of birth control access, with free birth control, condoms, and IUDs provided by the country鈥檚 national health system, Sistema Unica de Saude.     Outreach: Community health program Saude da Familia sends educators door to door to share family planning options.     Broader change: Poverty reduction, improved education, and expanded internet access have transformed opportunities for young women.       OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Texas sues Tylenol company over autism claims 鈥�

Behind the Dismantling of the C.D.C.: Reform or 鈥楬umiliation鈥�? 鈥�

This 'minor' bird flu strain has potential to spark human pandemic 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Anti-abortion pregnancy centers are looking to offer much more than ultrasounds and diapers 鈥�     Some viruses can play a deadly game of hide and seek inside the human body 鈥�     Clocks to go back: Three impacts Daylight Saving Time changes can have on you - what the science says 鈥�     Picture of health: going to art galleries can improve wellbeing, study reveals 鈥�   Issue No. 2812
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: Diphtheria鈥檚 Dangerous Return; Bird Flu Rebounds; and Model of Healthy Architecture October 27, 2025 Pediatrician Mohamud Omar examines a child鈥檚 tonsils in the diphtheria ward of Demartino Public Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, last month. Brian Otieno/The New York Times Diphtheria鈥檚 Dangerous Return    Diphtheria, a deadly bacterial disease long controlled by vaccines, is spreading again in regions destabilized by conflict and climate-driven displacement, as hospital wards throughout parts of Africa and the Middle East fill with children struggling to breathe.    Fueling factors: Mass displacement, COVID-19 pandemic disruptions, and vaccine hesitancy have left millions of children vulnerable鈥攅specially in regions with hollowed-out health systems.  

• And global aid cuts this year have contributed to severe malnutrition and the shuttering of immunization programs.  

Global spread: Outbreaks have erupted in Chad, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen; sporadic cases are appearing in Europe among refugee and migrant communities.  

• While the U.S. rarely sees travel-related cases, full kindergarten vaccination rates including diphtheria coverage from 95% in 2020 to 92% in 2024鈥�25. 

High danger, urgent intervention: Diphtheria now kills up to 1 in 4 infected children in low-resource settings, prompting Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to create emergency vaccine funding for boosters. 

• 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 even have a diphtheria support modality, because we didn鈥檛 need one. And now we have to build out a whole new process to help countries respond,鈥� said Katy Clark, a diphtheria expert with Gavi.  

  THE QUOTE
  "What is very sad is many people were cheering in the streets because they were happy there was a peace deal. Imagine, (some of) those same people are dead after they were told the war is over." 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌� Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general: Gaza health 'catastrophe' will last for generations 鈥�&苍产蝉辫; The Latest One-Liners
Gun violence is trending downward for more than three-quarters of U.S. cities with the most shootings鈥攊ncluding Chicago, Baltimore, Memphis, and Los Angeles鈥攑er an analysis of 150 U.S. cities; the trend holds across red and blue cities and states in every region of the country.  
  South Africa regulators have approved lenacapavir鈥攎aking it the first African country to register the twice-yearly anti-HIV injection, and at record speed (within 65 days); distribution could roll out as early as February 2026. Thanks for the tip, Elna Schutz!    
NHS England is trialing a 15-minute blood test that distinguishes between bacterial and viral infections, allowing faster diagnoses and reducing the overprescription of antibiotics; the trial among children will run in three EDs through March.  

The recycling process increased levels of toxic chemicals in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a type of plastic commonly used for food packaging, that suggests a direct tie between recycling intensity and the level of chemical contamination in recycled products. INFECTIOUS DISEASES Bird Flu Rebounds    After a lull in cases for the past several months, bird flu is rapidly making a comeback worldwide, leading scientists to warn of a potentially severe viral season.     In Europe, early outbreaks are being reported in the highest number of countries in at least a decade, . From August to mid-October, 56 outbreaks have been reported in 10 EU countries and Britain, with the most reported in Poland, the top EU poultry producer.     In the U.S., the virus has hit dozens of poultry flocks since the start of September, killing , including 1.3 million turkeys that will impact Thanksgiving supply, . Idaho, Nebraska, and Texas have reported . And .   

• But the government shutdown and federal health cuts are causing scientists to question whether the U.S. has an adequate response plan and communication, .   

Related:    Bird flu prevention zone measures introduced to prevent disease's spread 鈥�     Germany culls over 400,000 poultry amid bird flu outbreak 鈥�     What does it mean if a deadly strain of bird flu has been found on Australia's Heard Island? 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH How Ants Model Healthy Architecture    To gain fresh insights into health-based building design, scientists just had to think a little smaller.  

• Black garden ants can quickly adapt their nest architecture to limit the spread of deadly fungal infections, .

Disease defense on demand: Ants infected with the lethal fungus Metarhizium brunneum isolate themselves while others restructure their nest to include more compartments, longer and more winding paths, and fewer connections to reduce contact and protect the queen and larvae. 
  Scaling up: Scientists say such dynamic and collective strategies could one day inspire public space designs that can reduce disease transmission in humans.      OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS UN alarmed by 鈥榯errifying鈥� situation in Sudan鈥檚 El Fasher, calls for immediate ceasefire 鈥�      DRC: Cholera Epidemic Rapidly Spreading Across The Country 鈥�     Meet the nurse in Uganda who climbs a 1,000-foot ladder to save lives 鈥�     WHO Report Raises Alarm on Clinician Mental Health, Working Conditions 鈥�      New Initiative Aims To Bring Doctors Up To Speed On Down Syndrome 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!     AI chatbots are sycophants 鈥� researchers say it鈥檚 harming science 鈥�   Issue No. 2811
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: Cancer Besieges Lebanon; The Untold Stories Contest of 2026 Has Launched, and A Jaw-Dropping Face-Off October 23, 2025 A flock of birds flies over a cloud of smog. Beirut, Lebanon, August 14. Joseph EID/AFP via Getty Cancer Besieges Lebanon    Beirut is often shrouded in smog pumped out by unregulated vehicles and diesel generators. Cigarette smoke permeates public places.  
  The toxic air and smoke have contributed to a staggering cancer crisis in Lebanon, , which analyzes the cancer burden worldwide from 1990 to 2023 and forecasts the cancer burden up to 2050. 
  The survey projects that cancer cases and deaths will rise worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. But Lebanon鈥檚 crisis is particularly acute, :  

• The country has the fastest increase in cancer incidence and deaths worldwide, with new cancer cases up 162% and deaths by 80% over the period covered in the survey.  

Systemic inaction: Lebanon has no anti-smoking or health education campaigns. And few people seek out available screening tools due to low awareness.  

• 鈥淐ancer is killing 鈥� Why have you been waiting so long to take action?鈥� study coauthor Ali Mokdad asked of the Lebanese government. 

Meanwhile, a rise of several cancers in adults of all ages worldwide could be driven by obesity, finds a separate global cancer study published in the , which recorded an uptick in cancer incidence rates from 2003 to 2017, .     Related: Of Corn and Cancer: Iowa鈥檚 Deadly Water Crisis 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner! GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners

1,600+ measles cases in the U.S. have been reported this year, , as an linked to two schools with low vaccination rates expands to 20 cases.

Major methane leak alerts from the world鈥檚 oil and gas sectors are often ignored by companies and governments, despite improved satellite detection from the UN Environment Programme, , which determined that just 12% of alerts lead to responsive action.

Pregnant detainees in ICE facilities in Louisiana and Georgia are not receiving adequate care, says the ACLU, which called on U.S. officials to release expectant and postpartum mothers from federal detention facilities.  

Members of Gen Z are significantly underrepresented in clinical trials and health studies, meaning millions of young people could miss out on new treatments for health conditions, or may risk using unsafe or ineffective medication due to low participation in medical research.  

UNTOLD STORIES CONTEST OF 2026 Boatmen sleep inside mosquito nets on their boats on the Buriganga River. Dhaka, Bangladesh, June 24. Syed Mahamudur Rahman/NurPhoto via Getty Send in Your Untold Stories 
! A joint effort between GHN and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, this annual contest is your chance to spotlight an underreported issue that you care about. 

• Nominate an issue you feel deserves a broader audience, whether you鈥檝e worked on it firsthand or come across it in your travels. 

• If you win, we'll send a reporter to cover your story and help it get the spotlight it deserves. 

Pro tip for Professors: Having students write a short (50-word max) pitch makes a great assignment. Students have won in some of our previous years!  
  Looking for inspiration? Check out some of our , including , reported by Lucien Chauvin, and , covered by Joanne Silberner. 

• Deadline: November 24, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST
•  

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH When a Menstrual Cycle Brings Mental Chaos    Millions of people worldwide experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) marked by extreme mood changes, irritability, and thoughts of self harm.  

• of ~3,600 women with PMDD found that 82% had suicidal thoughts , and 25% had tried to end their lives   

Despite symptoms that typically impair a person鈥檚 daily life, diagnosis is inconsistent. Clinicians often debate whether PMDD falls under gynecology or psychiatry.  

• By , 90% of women with PMDD are mistakenly thought to have another condition. 

Treatment options vary widely鈥攆rom hormonal contraceptives, , and therapy to drug-induced menopause or surgical removal of reproductive organs.    Despite the high burden, PMDD research and funding lag behind comparable women鈥檚 health conditions.      ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION A Jaw-Dropping Face-Off    Like all elite athletes, competitors in the World Gurning Championships all seek the optimal physique: A flexible forehead with extremely muscular eyebrows. A lower lip that can stretch over the nose. And a bug-eyed stare befitting a Halloween mask.    After all, a win hinges on 鈥渢he grotesqueness of the grimace鈥� contenders make onstage, per the official rules of this centuries-old 鈥渞everse beauty pageant鈥濃�� a fixture of the annual Egremont Crab Fair in Egremont, England, . 

• 鈥淕urning鈥� is another word for making the kind of face your mother warns 鈥渨ill freeze like that鈥�; the sort of grimace people make when they bite into the sour crab apples for which is named. 

The rules: Competitors contort their faces while framed with a horse collar called a 鈥渂affin.鈥� Per the official rules, no hands or excessive makeup may be used; however, 鈥渢hrashing around onstage and making wild, animal-like noises鈥� is acceptable. To an extent:  

• 鈥淵ou've got to make people laugh without scaring the children,鈥� organizer Lesley Rogers told . 

QUICK HITS Hundreds of thousands of NHS workers urge Starmer not to cut support for Global Fund 鈥�  
'An urgent public health crisis': Why so many people are struggling to get medicine 鈥�  
How Did Dengue Go Global? This Mosquito Species Might be to Blame. 鈥�  
Nicholas Kristof: Opinion: Trump Revives Foreign Aid, Helping Needy Billionaires 鈥�  
HIV specialists in short supply, especially in the South 鈥�  
Updated CPR guidelines provide expanded recommendations for managing choking and opioid overdose 鈥�  
Why Women Feel Unsafe in Nature: The Gender Gap in Green Spaces 鈥�&苍产蝉辫; Issue No. 2810
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: Anti-Science Bills Sweep U.S; Azithromycin Trial Has No Impact on Infant Deaths; and 鈥楪ut-Healing鈥� Food Treats Malnutrition October 22, 2025 Crates of freshly bottled raw milk at the Lolans Farm stand. Middleborough, Massachusetts, March 17. David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Anti-Science Bills Sweep State Legislatures     A wave of legislation aiming to weaken or roll back public health protections has been introduced in U.S. states this year, , which of 420+ bills, and found that ~30 such bills have already been adopted in 12 states.     Most of the laws focus on three categories鈥攙accines, raw milk, and water fluoridation鈥攁nd cover a range of directives, including:  

• Anti-vaccine bills: Make it easier to get vaccine exemptions; prohibit vaccine requirements; place more restrictions on certain vaccines or programs.  

• Raw milk: Remove restrictions on raw milk sales.  

• Fluoride: Ban fluoride in drinking water or make fluoridation a ballot measure.  

Organized effort: While campaigns behind such legislation typically frame themselves as grassroots, found that most are backed by well-funded national organizations tied to HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and include members benefiting politically and financially.    Conspiracy-to-policy pipeline: The trend signals the normalization of an anti-vaccine movement that has already led to falling vaccination rates and the comeback of preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough.  

• 鈥淭he march of conspiracy thinking from the margins to the mainstream now guiding public policy should be a wake-up call for all Americans,鈥� said Devin Burghart, president of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   DRC鈥檚 cholera outbreak has spread to 20 of the country鈥檚 26 provinces, with 58,000+ suspected cases and 1,700+ deaths so far this year, M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res reports; separately, the UN issued a warning that incidents of rape and conflict-related sexual violence in the country have surged by a third compared to last year. ;  
Ambulances supplied to Malawi by the UK Aid Match Maternal Health program from 2015 to 2018 were sold off to fund repairs for officials鈥� cars, drawing outrage from locals and civil society groups; one official defended the move, claiming that the vehicles 鈥渨ere faulty and would be costly to fix.鈥�  
A hepatitis A outbreak in the Czech Republic is among the worst the country has seen in decades, with 21 deaths and 1,842 cases recorded earlier this month; centered in Prague, the outbreak has begun to spread to other regions.  
  Men who use plastic tableware have a higher accumulation of microplastics in their semen and lower sperm counts, that studied samples from ~200 men of reproductive age in Chongqing, China.   U.S. and Global Health Policy News   The Pentagon Retreats from Climate Fight as Heat and Storms Slam Troops 鈥�  

It鈥檚 been a month. And we still don鈥檛 know much about Kennedy鈥檚 long COVID consortium 鈥�      Government shutdown means many CDC experts are skipping a pivotal meeting on infectious disease 鈥�     The Deceptive Phrase Behind Trump鈥檚 Medicaid Purge 鈥� INFANT MORTALITY Mass Azithromycin Trial Has No Impact on Infant Deaths    A major trial in Mali that aimed to help reduce infant mortality through mass antibiotic distribution had no impact on infant death rates, 鈥攆indings that could change WHO-recommended intervention tactics.     Background: After a 2018 trial showed that administering the commonly used antibiotic azithromycin 2X per year reduced deaths in 1鈥�5-year-olds, the WHO recommended the intervention for infants.     The study: 149,000+ infants ages 1鈥�11 months received either a placebo every three months, or azithromycin, distributed 2X or 4X per year.  

• Mortality rates were nearly identical across all groups.  

Implications: Researchers suggest that broader age groups may need to be targeted to see a benefit鈥攖hough that could raise antibiotic resistance risks.          Related: 鈥業 fear we are sitting on a time bomb.鈥� Scientists debate mass distribution of antibiotics in Africa 鈥�    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MALNUTRITION The Growing Impact of a 鈥楪ut-Healing鈥� Food    A food supplement for undernourished children that also seeks to repair the gut microbiome is gaining recognition after .    Feeding the body鈥攁nd bacteria: Severe childhood malnutrition can lead to the maldevelopment of digestive bacteria critical for growth and immunity.  

• The new food formulation, dubbed MDCF-2 (microbiome-directed complementary food), blends chickpea, soybean, and peanut flours with green banana into an affordable combination that nourishes this microbiome.  

• The therapeutic food was the result of a collaboration between researchers studying malnutrition at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) and those studying the gut microbiome at Washington University in St. Louis.  

Global reach: Studies of MDCF-2 are currently underway in India, Mali, Pakistan, and Tanzania.       OPPORTUNITY Community Reporters from ICFP and the Family Planning News Network (FPNN) interview Indigenous activists in Riohacha, Colombia, in August 2025. Courtesy of ICFP It鈥檚 Not Too Late to Register for ICFP    The fight for sexual and reproductive health and rights is happening now鈥攁nd you can be part of it.    Join the International Conference on Family Planning 2025 virtually to connect with advocates, learn from global leaders, and add your voice to a movement shaping the future of health and equity worldwide. 

• November 1鈥�6, 2025
•  

QUICK HITS Dangerous or life-saving? Why drug programs that stop disease are under fire. 鈥�     More Europeans are dying from HIV now than 15 years ago 鈥�  
Eight countries added to methanol poisoning warning list 鈥�     WHO warns $1.7bn funding shortfall threatens polio eradication efforts 鈥�     More people are freezing their eggs 鈥� but most will never use them 鈥�      How one Michigan town is putting partisanship aside in pursuit of clean water 鈥�     Bird flu hiding in cheese? The surprising new discovery 鈥�   Issue No. 2809
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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