海角社区

96 Global Health NOW: A Long Road to Rehabilitation for Gaza鈥檚 Amputees; and New Rules for Digital Accessibility Plus: Houston, We Have a Cobbler April 9, 2026 TOP STORIES CDC leadership has delayed the publication of a report showing the COVID-19 vaccine鈥檚 effectiveness, including how the vaccine cut the likelihood of hospital and emergency room visits for healthy adults last winter by about half; scientists say they fear the report is being downplayed because it conflicts with HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.鈥檚 criticism of the shot.     The EU has cut its contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, as global contributions to global health aid continue to drop; the European Commission has pledged 鈧�700 million to the Fund between 2027鈥�2029, a 鈧�15 million drop from what it provided from 2023 to 2025.     The U.S. teenage birth rate fell 7% in 2025, , a drop the lead author described as 鈥渆xtraordinary,鈥� continuing a decade of decline; potential contributing factors include higher use of contraception and lower sexual activity among youth.     Maternal psychological stress driven by crises like natural disasters can affect fetal development and birth outcomes,  that examined the birth outcomes of babies born to mothers in Japan who faced widespread anxiety about radiation exposure in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011.   IN FOCUS A young Palestinian amputee walks with a nurse outside the UAE Hospital Ship SSF Ania in the port of Arish, in northeastern Egypt, on February 5. AFP via Getty Images A Long Road to Rehabilitation for Gaza鈥檚 Amputees     For the hundreds of adults and children from Gaza who have undergone amputations since 2023, specialized prosthetic treatment remains a struggle to access鈥攚ith many stranded in neighboring Egypt indefinitely as they seek to regain both physical and social mobility there. 

• ~6,000 Palestinians have faced limb amputation during the conflict with Israel, ; at the conflict鈥檚 height in 2023, 10+ children lost one or both legs every day, .  

Legal limbo: Egypt is the primary destination for Palestinians needing amputation care, but most Palestinians treated there are unable to access formal residency permits or refugee status.  

• As a result, patients often live in temporary housing like hostels, are unable to work or open bank accounts, and face constant pressures and uncertainty while requiring specialized care for months and years. 

Dependent on NGOs: Long-term, high-tech prosthetic rehabilitation is almost impossible without the support of medical charities.  

• Orthomedics in Cairo has treated ~300 Palestinian patients since October 2023, mostly through NGO funding from groups like the Turkish charity Sadakata艧谋.  

  POLICY New Rules for Digital Accessibility
As colleges and universities increasingly rely on digital resources, the obstacles for students with disabilities have grown. 

• Many websites, apps, and digital learning materials have not been designed to accommodate people who are deaf or blind or have low vision.  

But revised regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act aim to change that. By the end of this month, large U.S. public institutions must meet updated accessibility standards for all digital materials鈥撯�搃mprovements that include captioned videos, color contrast, and more inclusive screen navigation.  

• Just as stairs can exclude people who use wheelchairs from accessing government buildings, inaccessible web content and mobile apps can exclude people with a range of disabilities, the rule states.  

• Institutions serving 50,000+ people have had two years to prepare; smaller institutions must comply by 2027. 

     Related: Digital Accessibility: Teaching and Learning Resources 鈥�   OPPORTUNITY Calling Current and Future Global Health Leaders
This month, join Unite For Sight鈥攁 nonprofit global health delivery organization committed to promoting high-quality care for all鈥攆or the 23rd annual Global Health & Innovation Conference in Connecticut.     The gathering brings together global health leaders and 鈥渄ives deep into bold ideas, transformative innovation, and responsible global engagement.鈥� 
 
: 

• Defining Purpose in Global Health 

• Designing Better Solutions for Global Health 

• What Real Impact Looks Like  

• Local Leadership and Global Partnerships  

April 18鈥�19, 2026; North Haven, CT 

. Sign up before April 10 for a reduced rate. 

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Houston, We Have a Cobbler
The crew of Artemis II may have boldly gone farther from Earth than any human, but they made sure the .     As the world watched a livestream of the crew hurtling towards that 252,752-mile record, the broadcast was interrupted by a full-sized jar of the chocolate hazelnut spread pirouetting in zero-G across the cabin, ; a relatable reminder that snacks are the real highlight of any professional venture.     Nutella is just one of  selected for the Artemis menu, which includes broccoli au gratin, cobbler, and . 

• Meanwhile, the Canadian Space Agency ensured their astronaut Jeremy Hansen .   

The food must be shelf-stable and as crumb-less as possible for microgravity, hence the inclusion of 58 tortillas, . Microgravity can also dull tastebuds, which is apparently why the space agency packed not one, but five different kinds of hot sauce.     Almost as important as oxygen?: 43 cups of coffee were allotted for the crew, 鈥攁 little more than 10 cups per astronaut over the 10-day mission. QUICK HITS Pesticides may wreak havoc on the gut microbiome 鈥�      Eye symptoms may signal higher-severity long COVID 鈥�   
Scientists Move Closer to Male Birth Control With No Hormones, No Snip 鈥�   

Patients scramble to find estrogen patches as shortage worsens after US FDA champions use 鈥�      Should鈥檝e put a ring on it? Maybe! Marriage is linked to lower risk of cancer 鈥�    Issue No. 2895
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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The scale and speed of destruction from the wave of airstrikes in Lebanon which began just hours after the US-Iran ceasefire announcement, has left the country鈥檚 already strained health system struggling to cope, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

96 Global Health NOW: A Better Solution for Sickle Cell Care in Africa Amid Aid Cuts?; and Immigration Raids Heightening Postpartum Isolation April 8, 2026 TOP STORIES Telehealth abortion will remain available in the U.S. for now, after a federal judge in Louisiana while the FDA completes its safety review of the drug, which has been used for 25+ years and is widely prescribed through telehealth appointments, which now account for more than 1 in 4 U.S. abortions.     Decades-old canned Alaska salmon dissected by researchers contained levels of tiny parasitic worms that signal that the fishes鈥� ecosystems were stable or recovering over a 40+-year span, ; researchers posited that the Clean Water Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and warming oceans may all have played a role in increasing parasite levels.     AI chatbots spread misinformation about a fake disease called 鈥渂ixonimania,鈥� a skin condition invented by researchers in an experiment to see how false preprint studies can infiltrate medical literature and be treated as fact by AI鈥攁nd by other researchers relying on AI without checking source material.      Greece will ban social media access for children under 15 starting January 2027, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis saying the prohibition is health-driven and that 鈥渨hen a child is in front of screens for hours, their brain does not rest鈥�; the country follows Australia and Indonesia in implementing such a ban and will pressure the EU to follow suit, Mitsotakis said.   IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE Catherine Nabaggala, MD, consoles Olivia Nansamba whose son Melvin had a blood transfusion to treat sickle cell disease. Joanne Cavanaugh Simpson A Better Solution for Sickle Cell Care in Africa Amid Aid Cuts?    KAMPALA, UGANDA鈥擮livia Nansamba sits on a narrow bed at Mulago National Referral Hospital, her 6-month-old son in her arms. Melvin, who has sickle cell disease, is pale, weak, and wailing. 
  鈥淪ickle cell disease is a very terrible disease,鈥� says Nansamba, lifting up her baby鈥檚 swollen, bandage-wrapped hand. 鈥淪ometimes there鈥檚 pain, pain, pain.鈥� 
  A brutal killer: Sickle cell disease can cause extreme pain crises, strokes, and organ damage. It claims  every year worldwide. About 80% of cases are in sub-Saharan Africa. 
  Barrier to care: A clinical mindset that only specialized hematologists and expensive interventions can help still prevails.  

• But restricting care to specialists and costly treatments grossly limits the number of children who can be helped, notes Joseph Lubega, MD, MPH, director of Texas Children鈥檚 Global Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence program. 

A new approach: Lubega is seeking to radically boost access to treatment for sickle cell disease, per reporting in Uganda supported by the Pulitzer Center.  

• His project focuses on providing care in regular government clinics, where trained health care workers can screen and provide key meds to help children live longer, better lives. 

The Quote: 鈥淭here are many fancy things you can do, but primary care can take care of the bulk of the issues鈥撯�揳nd at a very low cost,鈥� Lubega says. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 our mission.鈥� 
  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS Immigration Raids Heightening Postpartum Isolation    In U.S. cities like Minneapolis that have faced intense immigration crackdowns, immigrant mothers have been forced into isolation, increasing risks to their physical and mental health and the well-being of their babies, advocates say.     A vulnerable time: Newly postpartum mothers are susceptible to a host of challenges, including postpartum depression as well as physical complications like hemorrhage, preeclampsia, or infection. Untreated, these can be deadly. 

• One-third of maternal deaths occur in the first year postpartum.  

The risks are even more acute for immigrant mothers, particularly Latinas, who are 2X as likely as white women to develop postpartum depression. 

• But many of these women are now forgoing the care of friends and family鈥撯�揳nd putting off important postpartum checkups鈥攊n an effort to avoid detention.  

  OPPORTUNITY Save the Date: World Immunization Week Webinar    Explore strategies and approaches to increase vaccination coverage and access across the life course, from infants and young children to adolescents, pregnant women, and adults, in a webinar featuring a distinguished panel of experts convened by the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

• April 20, 2鈥�3 p.m. EDT 

QUICK HITS 鈥淚 Don鈥檛 Want to Die in India鈥�: The Hidden Corridor of East African Sex Trafficking 鈥�     Srinidhi Polkampally and Bhav Jain: What American hospitals can learn from India about waste 鈥�     Idaho Cut Services for People With Schizophrenia. Then the Deaths Began. 鈥�     From misdiagnosis to medical bias: Why women are living longer but not better 鈥�  
  Poll: Here鈥檚 what MAHA actually believes 鈥�  
Study advances safe, reversible male contraceptive without hormones 鈥�    Issue No. 2894
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: Food, Fuel, and Fertilizer Shortages Follow Iran War; and Eswatini鈥檚 Limited Access to a Livesaving Drug April 7, 2026 TOP STORIES Nearly 1,000 refugees and migrants have died so far this year in Mediterranean shipwrecks鈥攁nd while arrivals are down sharply, fatalities are rising compared to this period last year; the UN鈥檚 International Organization for Migration urges improved search and rescue capacity and expanded legal migration pathways to 鈥渞educe dangerous crossings.鈥�     UK doctors launched a six-day strike today, rejecting a government pay and staffing deal that the British Medical Association deems inadequate; the government withdrew 鈥宎 鈦燾ommitment to cover 1,000 additional specialty training positions contingent on the deal鈥檚 acceptance.  
Mexico faces a 鈥渢oxic crisis,鈥� warns UN special rapporteur Marcos Orellana, who conducted an 11-day investigative mission last month and says Mexico has become the U.S.鈥檚 鈥済arbage sink,鈥� citing pollution threats ranging from imported waste to dangerous pesticides, as well as lax environmental standards and lack of oversight.   
The California Bay Area is a rotavirus hotspot, , which tracks levels in 40 states; every region but the Midwest showed high levels of the gastrointestinal illness.   IN FOCUS The 芒Sakr芒 ship, carrying ~4,000 tons of food, shelter, medical, and humanitarian aid prepared by the UAE for delivery to Gaza, arrives at northeastern Egypt's Port of Al-Arish. February 5. Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Food, Fuel, and Fertilizer Shortages Follow Iran War     Critical humanitarian supplies needed in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia are not moving because of war-caused shipping limitations in the Strait of Hormuz, .      Major humanitarian efforts are running low on basic medications, food, fuel, and fertilizers, according to the International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, and other organizations.  

• The M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res team in Yemen has procured 100 tons of special foods to treat severe malnutrition in young children, but the supplies are languishing in Dubai's Jebel Ali Port.  

• IV fluids, malaria tests, antibiotics, and other supplies in the field are already running low, per Save the Children in Sudan. 

The Quote: "It鈥檚 extremely serious in countries that have very little resilience to shocks like this,鈥� the International Rescue Committee鈥檚 Bob Kitchen told NPR. 鈥淲henever one piece of the puzzle is missing or delayed, the consequences are very, very severe.鈥�      Disease risks: The WHO has already documented increases in chickenpox, shigellosis, and influenza, in affected countries,      An even greater concern: Concentrated attacks on desalination plants that Iran, Israel, and other countries rely on for drinking water could threaten countries whose water reserves would last only days or weeks.   
Related:     Iran鈥檚 Pasteur medical research centre 鈥榟eavily damaged鈥� in strike 鈥�     Karl Blanchet, Sultan Barakat, Bernadette Kumar, and Paul Spiegel: Iran's humanitarian crisis: war, legality, and the erosion of population health 鈥�   PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION The exterior of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, on Wolfe Street, in Baltimore. Johns Hopkins Tops Rankings of U.S. Public Health Schools    The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health again ranks #1 among public health schools and programs in the U.S., based on peer-assessment ratings unveiled this morning by U.S. News & World Report.      Rank/School   1  Johns Hopkins University   2  Emory University   2  University of North Carolina鈥擟hapel Hill    4  Harvard University   4  University of Michigan鈥擜nn Arbor    6  Columbia University   6  University of California鈥擝erkeley    6  University of California鈥擫os Angeles   9  Boston University    9  University of Washington      This year鈥檚 rankings include 224 schools and programs of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.   
      DATA POINT

1 in 4
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Black men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives鈥�2X the rate of white men鈥攁nd 2,300+ men will die over the next decade of the disease, per Prostate Cancer UK; the UK government recently rejected proposals for a prostate cancer screening program for high-risk men, citing in part a lack of data on Black patients. 鈥�
  HIV/AIDS Eswatini鈥檚 Limited Access to a Livesaving Drug    The drug lenacapavir could make a huge difference in curbing HIV transmission in the small country of Eswatini鈥攊f clinics could get enough of the drug.     Background: Eswatini is home to one of the world鈥檚 highest prevalence rates of HIV, but in recent years it has steadily made progress in preventing new infections.     Game-changing drug: Lenacapavir injections began to arrive within the last few months, bringing fresh hope that the twice-yearly shots will make a major dent in transmission.     Limited supply: But only ~3,000 people have been able to start treatment, far below demand. With ~4,000 new infections annually, the supply is 鈥渘ot even a drop in the ocean,鈥� said Nkululeko Dube, programme director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Eswatini.       Related:     Our LEN is here. Now for quality checks in Ireland 鈥�     Congress gave money for global HIV work. The Trump administration isn't spending it 鈥�     鈥榃e fear the epidemic will return鈥�: Senegal鈥檚 harsh anti-gay law puts decades of HIV progress in jeopardy 鈥� QUICK HITS

WHO calls for action: 鈥淭ogether for health. Stand with science.鈥� to mark World Health Day 鈥�  

  Trump鈥檚 Foreign Aid Overhaul Sent Millions More Dollars to Big U.S.-Based Contractors 鈥�     Trump administration's secrecy on health deals alarms experts, governments 鈥�     A star scientist showed that better genetics lessons could reduce racism. It was the death knell for his career 鈥�     Iodised salt has become uncool but many of us need to eat more iodine 鈥�   Issue No. 2893
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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Scientists have demonstrated, for the first time, that several psychedelic drugs 鈥� including psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, DMT and ayahuasca 鈥� produce a common pattern of brain activity despite their distinct chemistries.

An international consortium led by a 海角社区 researcher pooled brain imaging data from labs across five countries, creating the largest study of its kind to date.

The findings, published in Nature Medicine, could help guide the design of future treatments for mental health disorders.

For 25 years, the world has made significant progress in advancing women鈥檚 right to health, particularly in sexual and reproductive care. Women are living longer than ever before 鈥� but they are not living better.

96 Global Health NOW; A Spiraling Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan; and China鈥檚 Expansive New Environmental Code April 6, 2026 TOP STORIES A measles outbreak in Bangladesh has led the country to launch an emergency vaccination campaign that aims to reach 1 million+ children; the outbreak so far has led to 17 confirmed deaths, 113 suspected deaths, and ~7,500 suspected infections nationwide.     The CDC and other health organizations and businesses spent ~$37 million over four years advertising on 11 news websites that have spread health misinformation, , which warned that such placements directly conflict with the health sector鈥檚 mission by financially supporting misinformation and could further 鈥渄iminish trust鈥� in the government or health organizations.     Childhood cancer is the eighth-leading cause of childhood mortality worldwide, leading to more deaths than TB, measles, or HIV/AIDS, , which found that children in LMICs face the most severe outcomes.  
Climate change will push venomous snakes toward densely populated coastlines, increasing the risk of deadly bites, per a global study that modeled the habitats of all 508 medically important venomous snake species; the research could inform antivenom stockpiling and resourcing of health facilities.   IN FOCUS Displaced Sudanese people sit in the shade amid the remains of a fire that broke out in their camp. Tawila, North Darfur, Sudan, February 11. AFP via Getty A Spiraling Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan 
As Sudan鈥檚 civil war enters its fourth year, the country faces 鈥渙ne of the gravest humanitarian and public health emergencies in the world today,鈥� warned WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus鈥攚ith 33.7 million+ people needing aid, women suffering under systemic violence, and a health system near total collapse amid relentless attacks and shortages, .    Health care under attack: 200+ attacks have targeted health care since the war began, per the WHO, including a series of deadly bombings and lootings across the country over the last several weeks.  

• A drone attack last week on a hospital in the White Nile province killed 10 people鈥攊ncluding seven medical staffers, .  

• That follows a drone strike on a hospital in East Darfur that killed ~70 people and injured 146. 

Doctors in dire conditions: Meanwhile, health workers at facilities like the El-Obeid Maternity Hospital describe being helpless to save patients amid shortages of basic supplies, .     No safety for women: Women in Sudan have seen their rights pushed 鈥渉undreds of years backwards鈥� amid pervasive sexual violence and repression, said Hala Al-Karib, regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, . 

• 鈥淭here are no safe places for women and girls in Darfur,鈥� that documented 3,396 cases of sexual violence from 2024 to 2025. 

• The conflict has also led to a spike in child marriage and deprived millions of girls of education. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES POLLUTION China鈥檚 Expansive New Environmental Code    China has passed a sweeping environmental law, aiming to further crack down on domestic pollution, streamline enforcement, and signal a deepening political commitment to climate issues.    The new legal code seeks to:   

• Restrict emergent sources of pollution instead of focusing only on post-pollution outcomes like smog.  

• Target microplastics and forever chemicals. 

• Regulate light pollution.  

But: Some activists warn the law may limit the public鈥檚 ability to challenge the government, as it states that environmental lawsuits can only be filed against companies and individuals鈥攏ot against government entities.        OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Iran: Military Stepping Up Child Recruitment: Campaign Lowers Minimum Age to 12 鈥�     Slasher sequel: Trump again proposes major cuts to U.S. science spending 鈥�      H.H.S. Takes a First Step Toward Restoring Vaccine Advisory Committee 鈥�     Raw dairy farm recalls some cheese products as FDA investigates E. coli outbreak 鈥�     鈥榃ow!鈥� The eye surgery marathon that restored sight for some South Africans 鈥�      How your smart phone could help your motion sickness in moving vehicles 鈥� Issue No. 2892
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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As violence forces tens of thousands to flee Sudan鈥檚 South Kordofan state, doctors in a key maternity hospital are facing impossible choices 鈥� with too few supplies, too many patients, and lives slipping away.

Honorons la m茅moire de Kimberly Gloade en luttant pour un syst猫me de soins de sant茅 humain.

96 Global Health NOW: You're Invited! Join Us in DC April 9 for a Communications Workshop April 2, 2026 JOIN US IN DC FOR A FREE WORKSHOP! The sun sets over the Tidal Basin, with cherry blossoms in peak bloom in Washington, DC. March 30. Heather Diehl/Getty Media-Savvy Skills for Scientists
In today's complex information landscape, great research needs more than publication鈥撯�搃t requires communication. Join us for an interactive, pre-conference workshop, Communications Skills That Transform Science Into Action, co-led by the CUGH Research Committee, the Pulitzer Center, and Global Health NOW, ahead of the 2026 CUGH Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on April. 9.

The full day of workshops will feature panel discussions with journalists and global health scholars as well as opportunities to sharpen your media skills:

From Evidence to Influence: What Actually Works: Featuring Molly Knight Raskin, Eli Cahan, Rupali Limaye, and Ananya Tina Banerjee.

How Is Misinformation in Global Health Produced, Amplified, and Legitimized? With Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman, Scott Ratzan, Rebecca Katherine Ivic, and Kenneth Rabin.

• Each panel will be followed by hands-on, practical workshops (focusing on op-ed writing, media interviews, and new media techniques).

Pre-conference sessions are free, in-person, and open to the public! 

• Thursday, April 9, 9 a.m.鈥�4 p.m. EDT We鈥檇 love to see you for all or part of the day!  

CUGH 2026 Special Event Update
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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96 Global Health NOW: The Deep Risks of Water Warfare; and Critical New Insights Into Noma Plus: What Would Jesus Think of a 10-Pound Chocolate Rabbit? April 2, 2026 TOP STORIES The CDC has paused lab testing for rabies, pox viruses, and dozens of other pathogens amid widespread layoffs and upheaval that have limited the number of qualified scientists who can perform the testing, which is designed to assist state and local labs.    A new GLP-1 pill, Eli Lilly鈥檚 once-daily medication Foundayo, has been approved by the FDA; the convenience of the once-daily pill widens access to weight loss medication and can be scaled worldwide, said the company鈥檚 CEO.     Methamphetamine use was reduced in adults who took the antidepressant mirtazapine, ; researchers found the drug was safe and effective for helping adults with methamphetamine use disorder curb intake of the drug鈥攑otentially opening new doors to treatment.     Exact digital replicas of patients鈥� diseased hearts have shown doctors how to more precisely treat actual hearts for an arrhythmia known as ventricular tachycardia, ; the 鈥渄igital twin technology鈥� is increasingly being explored in medical studies.   IN FOCUS Farm workers harvest crops as smoke billows after overnight airstrikes on oil depots, on March 8, in Tehran. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images The Deep Risks of Water Warfare     Ongoing conflict in Iran and surrounding Gulf states is laying bare the extreme vulnerability of the region鈥檚 most critical resource: Water.     Already, strikes to water facilities in Iran, Bahrain, and Kuwait have left communities struggling and demonstrate the catastrophic risks of targeting water infrastructure and desalination plants鈥攖he source of drinking water for much of the Gulf.    Dependence on desalination: Tens of millions of people regionwide rely on water from desalination plants, with some countries getting 90%-99% of all drinkable water from the facilities.  

• Major cities like Dubai, Doha, Kuwait City, and Riyadh rely entirely on desalination. 

• And Iran is already operating in a 鈥渨ater bankruptcy鈥� after years of drought, with reservoirs that supply Tehran below 10% capacity as of last year.  

Water as a weapon: The recent attacks follow a long history of using water as a point of pain and leverage in regional warfare, from Babylon and Tyre in 6th century B.C. to the Gulf War in the 1990s. 

• 鈥淲ater is both a weapon and a strategic consideration for all parties in the region,鈥� said Naser Alsayed, a researcher at SOAS University of London. 

Catastrophic consequences: Most Gulf states hold just a few days of water reserves, meaning escalating attacks could rapidly trigger humanitarian crises, including widespread dehydration, disease risks, displacement, and further instability.       NEGLECTED DISEASES Critical New Insights into Noma    In a breakthrough discovery for the fight against noma, researchers have pinpointed a previously unknown species of bacteria 鈥渟trongly associated鈥� with the disease.    Background: Noma is an infection that starts as gingivitis that rapidly progresses into a devastating and often fatal disease affecting children in extreme poverty.    The research: Working at the  in Sokoto, Nigeria, a team of researchers from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine analyzed saliva from children with acute noma using metagenomic sequencing and machine learning, .     New findings: The research identified a 鈥渃onsistent microbial signature,鈥� Treponema bacteria.    Hopeful implications: Knowing the specific bacterial culprit could allow for earlier diagnosis and more effective interventions.  

• Plus: Treponema lacks antibiotic-resistance genes鈥攎eaning it can be treated with existing medications. 

    OPPORTUNITY Media-Savvy Skills for Scientists 
Join us for an interactive, pre-conference workshop, Communications Skills that Transform Science Into Action, co-led by the CUGH Research Committee, the Pulitzer Center, and Global Health NOW, ahead of the 2026 CUGH Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on April 9. 

The full day of workshops will feature panel discussions with journalists and global health scholars as well as opportunities to sharpen your media skills: 

• From Evidence to Influence: What Actually Works: Featuring Molly Knight Raskin, Eli Cahan, Rupali Limaye, and Ananya Tina Banerjee. 

• How Is Misinformation in Global Health Produced, Amplified, and Legitimized? With Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman, Scott Ratzan, Rebecca Katherine Ivic, and Kenneth Rabin. 

Each panel will be followed by hands-on, practical workshops, focusing on op-ed writing, media interviews, and new media techniques. 

Pre-conference sessions are free, in-person, and open to the public!  

• Thursday, April 9, 9 a.m.鈥�4 p.m., EDT. We鈥檇 love to see you for all or part of the day!   

•  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION What Would Jesus Think?  
For devotees of the bulk buying giant Costco, the mantra is less 鈥榞o big or go home,鈥� and more 鈥榞o big, then go home 鈥� and make space for the 6,000 paper towel rolls you just bought.鈥�       Or, this Easter, the 10lb chocolate bunny named Pete for whose bulk 鈥�.鈥�       Pete, with his warm smile, button nose, and cuddlable size, seems more friend than food. So, we were a bit disturbed that the instructions on the box demand that we destroy him and melt his remains into hot chocolate, .        鈥淔irst he's admired, then he's cracked or cut,鈥� the instructions explain. And you have options: 鈥淲rap Pete in a towel and give one bold whack with a mallet, hammer, or rolling pin鈥� to separate all 151 servings.      That may sound like a lot, unless you head over to Haux, France, where Easter Monday means making a single 4,500-egg omelet for 1,000+ people, .      We know one place you can buy that many eggs: Costco.  QUICK HITS 鈥榃e鈥檙e failing newborns鈥�: The global push to reduce infant deaths is losing steam 鈥�     Amid rising vaccine hesitancy, more parents reject vitamin K shots 鈥�      Kennedy sidelining of US advisory panel delays updates to cancer screening guidelines 鈥�     A slowdown in US visa processing is wreaking havoc on foreign doctors鈥� lives 鈥�      Trippy tobacco? Plants engineered to make five psychedelics at once 鈥�     Struggling to focus on research when the world is 鈥榦n fire鈥�? Some ways to cope 鈥�    Issue No. 2891
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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South Sudan is evolving into a catastrophic human rights and humanitarian crisis, UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts warned on Thursday.

96 Global Health NOW: The Hidden Perils of Poland鈥檚 鈥楪host鈥� Poultry Farms; and India鈥檚 Coal Expansion Fuels a Health Crisis April 1, 2026 TOP STORIES The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a Colorado law that banned mental health professionals from using 鈥渃onversion therapy鈥� to try to change LGBTQ minors鈥� sexual orientation or gender identity; the ruling could impact such laws in 20+ states.     Requests for 鈥渦nvaccinated鈥� blood have increased among patients and parents of minor patients needing blood transfusions, , which found the requests can lead to dangerous delays in care since blood donors are not asked about vaccination status.  

Lead lingering in the body increases the risk of heart disease, even years after exposure, , which found that lead鈥檚 presence in the heart鈥檚 vital arteries can elevate blood pressure and injure blood vessels鈥攎aking it one of the leading risk factors for death by coronary artery disease.  
New American Heart Association guidelines prioritize plant-based protein over meat and suggest replacing full-fat dairy with low- or nonfat options; , contrasts with U.S. government recommendations encouraging Americans to up their consumption of red meat and full-fat dairy.   IN FOCUS Chickens crowded together on an industrial poultry farm. Kondrajec Panski, Poland, October 1, 2019. Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty The Hidden Perils of Poland鈥檚 鈥楪host鈥� Poultry Farms     Hundreds of industrial poultry farms across Poland are operating without required environmental permits, allowing the farms to evade EU oversight and increasing threats of environmental pollution and disease throughout Europe.     Large loopholes: Poland is a major exporter of poultry meat to Europe, with ~2,000 megafarms in the country. Nearly half of those farms lack required environmental licenses.  

• Officials responsible for issuing permits and conducting inspections do not track unregistered operations, enabling these so-called ghost farms to operate unchecked for years.  

Widespread impact: Some of these operations have already contributed to unsafe waste disposal, air pollution, and water contamination, leading to bacterial infections in nearby communities. 

• But the risks extend beyond Poland, as the potentially compromised meat supply reaches millions of consumers.  

Antibiotic alarm: Poland鈥檚 packed industrial farms also rank among the highest users of veterinary antibiotics in the EU.  

• Chickens are often treated multiple times in their short lifespans, raising dangers of antimicrobial resistance. 

  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe! POLLUTION India鈥檚 Coal Expansion Fuels a Health Crisis    While India has committed to curbing fossil fuel usage in the long term, the short term looks much different as coal production rapidly expands to meet growing electricity demand.    At the center of this tension are towns like Jharia, home to open-pit mines that are key to the community鈥檚 livelihood鈥攁nd central to residents鈥� suffering health.  

• Jharia鈥檚 air has the country鈥檚 highest concentration of coarse particulate matter, leading to high rates of respiratory illnesses including tuberculosis and asthma. 

India鈥檚 government has acknowledged the dangers, pledging to better manage the pollution and relocate residents to safer regions. But critics say it鈥檚 not happening fast enough.  

• Residents are 鈥渓iving on deathbeds,鈥� said local doctor Sanjoy Mukherjee. 鈥淭hey should not be allowed to live here.鈥� 

  OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS After detainee dies at ICE detention center in California, Mexican officials call for investigation 鈥�     Evacuated from Gaza as newborns, a group of Palestinian toddlers returns to an uncertain future 鈥�     Is Trump killing the heralded U.S. effort to help the world battle HIV? 鈥�     Antidepressant Drug Fluvoxamine Reduces Fatigue in Long COVID Patients 鈥�     Are boys really in crisis? What the science says in the age of the manosphere 鈥�     The wellness world is eager for RFK Jr.鈥檚 promised move on peptides 鈥�     鈥楶rosthetics aren鈥檛 made for people like us鈥�: the brothers creating innovative artificial limbs for Africans 鈥�   Issue No. 2890
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 2026 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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海角社区 has launched the Initiative for Transforming Healthcare (ITH) to apply a systems-based approach and advance technology-enabled solutions to drive change in Canadian healthcare.

Mounting pressures 鈥� from limited access to family doctors to surgical backlogs and emergency room crowding 鈥� are straining Canada鈥檚 health system. The Initiative will explore ways to resolve these growing challenges through cross-sector partnerships.

96 Global Health NOW: Is Mexico Missing the Target on Measles Response? and Surfers Turning the Tide on CPR Gender Gap March 31, 2026 TOP STORIES Vaping is strongly linked to oral and lung cancer risk, from Australian cancer researchers; there isn鈥檛 yet long-term vaping data to determine definitive risk, but they found evidence that vaping is associated with pre-carcinogenic changes, including DNA damage and inflammation. 
  Exposure to a common plastic additive may have contributed to 1.97 million preterm births in 2018 alone鈥�8%+ of the global total鈥攁nd 74,000 newborn deaths,  that showed similar risks with a common replacement phthalate, with the highest burden in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. 
  Armed conflict in Colombia has significantly impacted tuberculosis incidence and mortality, , with the most violent municipalities recording the highest TB case rates; the researchers note that conflict-fueled displacement creates poor living conditions鈥撯�搊vercrowding, poor ventilation, and housing instability鈥撯�搕hat facilitate TB transmission and hamper treatment. 
  U.S. cases of the 鈥淐icada鈥� COVID-19 variant, officially known as BA.3.2, are rising, though still at low levels; the variant, detected in at least 23 countries, has a highly mutated genetic sequence that could allow it to evade antibodies, , highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance and vaccine effectiveness.  IN FOCUS Medical personnel in Mexico City administer measles vaccines to people attending the mass vaccination event at Parque de los Venados, on February 11. Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Is Mexico Missing the Target on Measles Response?    The measles outbreak that spread throughout Mexico in the past year began when a child from Mexico鈥檚 Chihuahua state fell ill after returning from visiting relatives in Texas, . From there, cases 鈥渞ipped through鈥� the Mennonite community, which is largely unvaccinated, and ultimately spread to all 32 Mexican states, .

• Since January 2025, there have been 14,000+ confirmed cases and 35 deaths.

Mexico has responded with a broad vaccination campaign that generated long lines of all ages. But critics argue the approach needs more focus. Mexico vaccinated 鈥渂roadly but not efficiently,鈥� said Sergio Meneses Navarro, a researcher at Mexico's National Institute of Public Health, NPR reports. 
鈥淲e should be working in the most unprotected regions, with the most unprotected populations.鈥� 
  Crucially: Migrant workers were a rare point of contact for the insular Mennonite communities where the outbreak began, . The outbreak eventually broke through the contained communities to reach the migrant day laborer populations. The laborers鈥攎any of whom are Indigenous, are at high risk due to overcrowded living and working conditions and 鈥測ears of neglect by the system,鈥� said Andr茅s Casta帽eda Prado of the National Coordination of the National Public Security System.  
  Mexico's once-lauded vaccination system has deteriorated as the government stopped matching public health spending to population growth, NPR reports, while pandemic-era missed vaccines and growing hesitancy鈥攑articularly in hard-to-reach rural and Indigenous communities鈥攃reated dangerous immunity gaps. 
  And even with a broad vaccination campaign, nurses are concerned many newly vaccinated patients won't return for second doses needed for full protection.   DATA POINT

250,000+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�斺��
People die from meningitis worldwide each year, per a Lancet Neurology report; children under 5 account for a third of all deaths. 鈥�
  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES EMERGENCY CARE  Surfers Turning the Tide on CPR Gender Gap    After learning that women are less likely than men to receive CPR or defibrillation in public emergencies, a group of surfers in Australia is advocating for more gender-equitable training.     Behind the disparity: A 2024 analysis by the New South Wales ambulance service found that women were 10% less likely than men to receive CPR from a public bystander, and 50% less likely to receive defibrillation鈥攃ontributing to higher death rates during cardiac arrest.  

• Researchers say hesitation may stem from concerns about modesty, harm, or legal risks when chest exposure is required.  

Shifting the current: In response, the Yamba Surf Life Saving Club has launched the 鈥淐P-Her鈥� initiative, advocating for more inclusive lifesaving training, including the use of female manikins.     Gaining momentum: Surf Life Saving Australia has already announced plans to update its lifesaver training guidelines to address the disparity.       QUICK HITS First European case of H9N2 bird flu reported in Italy 鈥� what you need to know 鈥�     Gilead refuses to sell groundbreaking HIV prevention drug to MSF 鈥�     These small African antelopes may help mpox spread 鈥�     How the next CDC director can win back America鈥檚 trust 鈥�     Radar device could help tackle growing number of prison deaths, scientists say 鈥�     Ordinary Lab Gloves May Have Skewed Microplastic Data 鈥�

Paralysis in public health and policy: when evidence becomes an alibi 鈥�     What has happened to the people who lost their jobs in the aid cuts? 鈥�  Issue No. 2889
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 2026 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: Listening to the Needs of India鈥檚 鈥淪ilent Village鈥�; and The CDC鈥檚 Silence as U.S. Smoking Hits Historic Low March 30, 2026 TOP STORIES In a 鈥渓ogistical quagmire鈥� caused by the Iran war, emergency cholera medical supplies bound for African countries are stranded in Dubai ahead of the high-risk rainy season; the kits create 鈥渕ini field hospitals鈥� equipped with rehydration and water treatments, and some were bound for Chad, which hosts Sudan war refugees.
  Less than a quarter of LMICs meet the measles elimination target of at least 95% coverage for the first vaccine dose and several were deemed 鈥渃ritically low鈥� with coverage below 50%, underscoring the challenge of achieving herd immunity amid a global measles resurgence and ongoing barriers to vaccination.
  Physicians are warning of an emerging STI known as TMvii that is causing outbreaks in U.S. cities and can resemble other conditions; the infection, caused by , causes painful coin-sized rashes and has so far been seen primarily among sexually active gay men.
  Several U.S. states are moving toward requiring food makers to add folic acid to corn tortillas in an effort to prevent devastating neural tube defects in Hispanic newborns that could be caused by deficiency of the vitamin, which is required in other starchy staples; California was the first state to require fortification, and an Alabama law will take effect in June. IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE A man works on a neighbor's house in Dhadkai, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on February 23. Safina Nabi Listening to the Needs of India鈥檚 鈥淪ilent Village鈥�     DHADKAI, India鈥撯�揇hadkai, nestled within Jammu and Kashmir, is often called the 鈥淪ilent Village of India鈥濃�撯�撯�渒nown not only for its breathtaking landscape of steep hills and dense forests, but also for an unusually high number of residents who cannot hear or speak,鈥� . 

• For years, the hearing impairments鈥攁ffecting ~90 of the village鈥檚 ~2,000 residents鈥攚ere attributed to fate, environment, or lack of medical care,  identified multiple genes that could be responsible in some patients. 

• In geographically isolated Dhadkai, marriages often take place within extended kinship networks鈥攁llowing certain genetic traits to concentrate over time.  

Exploring interventions: Possible solutions include gene therapy鈥攚orking directly at the level of the gene to correct the defect. But as such treatments are not yet widely available in India, some researchers say premarital genetic counseling is a more practical approach. 
  Broader public health issues: Dhadkai also raises pressing public health issues, including rural disability care gaps that allow conditions such as hearing impairment to persist largely unaddressed, writes Nabi. She underscores the community鈥檚 limited access to routine newborn screening, genetic counseling, and early hearing intervention services鈥撯�撯�渟upport systems that, in many countries, help families make informed decisions and provide children with assistive technologies or language support within the first months of life.鈥� 
  The quote: 鈥淪cience has offered clarity,鈥� Nabi writes. 鈥淲hat remains uncertain is whether policy and public health will move quickly enough to meet the needs of people living with its consequences.鈥�  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES TOBACCO The CDC鈥檚 Silence as U.S. Smoking Hits Historic Low 
Cigarette smoking among U.S. adults reached a historic low in 2024, dropping below 10% for the first time.    But that milestone was not reported by the CDC. While the agency released the data on smoking last fall, detailed analysis was lacking after funding cuts eliminated the agency鈥檚 Office of Smoking and Health (OSH).    Stepping into the gaps: in the new digital journal NEJM Evidence by Israel Agaku, a former OSH epidemiologist who ran the data via his independent research company.  

• Despite the findings鈥� significance, Agaku and others lament the CDC鈥檚 detachment from what has long been a public health priority.  

The quote: 鈥淎nyone can generate a report. Few have the resources or institutional leverage and respect the CDC once had to make that result count,鈥� Agaku said.      QUICK HITS Measles spike in federal detention facility reaches the Texas public, records show 鈥�     The Horrors That Could Lie Ahead if Vaccines Vanish 鈥�     70% female, 30% male students suffer GBV in tertiary institutions 鈥�     Alemnew Dagnew: TB Risk Should not Depend on Where We Are Born 鈥�     Like 鈥榙riving to San Francisco and back, every week鈥�: In rural America, cancer patients face tall hurdles to get care 鈥�     Drinking Raw Milk Is Risky. Should People Be Able to Buy It Anyway? 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Dave Cundiff!    鈥淏odies aren鈥檛 a trend鈥�: Body positivity fight endures in the GLP-1 era 鈥�   Issue No. 2888
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. Policies Amount to a Global Public Health Emergency, Researchers Argue; and Lessons From Romania鈥檚 Rapid Abortion Shifts Plus: 'Homeward Bound' on Steroids March 26, 2026 TOP STORIES A health crisis is 鈥渦nfolding in real time鈥� across the Middle East, according to WHO鈥檚 director in the region;  warned that, in addition to potential hits on nuclear sites and damage to the water supply, hospital closures are disrupting chronic illness treatment, and there are deep concerns about maternal and mental health, and children orphaned by the conflict.  

The UK has launched a billion-pound 鈥攊ts first since a 2011 effort that focused on flu鈥攑romising a new approach including a new contact tracing system and PPE stockpiles, and more adaptable emergency measures.  

In Cuba, many doctors grappling with the constant stress of rationing care, severe supply shortages, and long patient waitlists are burning out, leaving the country, or working without pay as the country鈥檚 health care system slips deeper into decline amid a failing economy and a U.S.-imposed oil blockade.  

The White House has delayed nominating a permanent CDC director, meaning Jay Bhattacharya, who has served as acting director, will continue his duties as the administration extends its search; about a half dozen candidates are being 鈥渟eriously considered.鈥�  IN FOCUS A health care professional measures a vaccine dose. Riverside, California, on February 2, 2021. Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty U.S. Policies Amount to a Global Public Health Emergency, Researchers Argue  
A 鈥減ublic health emergency of international concern鈥� has never been declared over a single country鈥檚 political actions鈥攂ut the Trump administration鈥檚 moves, including the disruption of U.S. foreign aid and development work, and pandemic preparedness efforts, constitute a PHEIC under international law, argue Matthew Herder and colleagues in a new .       The argument: A PHEIC is defined as an 鈥渆xtraordinary event鈥� that creates a 鈥減ublic health risk to other states through the international spread of disease,鈥� which Herder, of Canada鈥檚 Dalhousie University, and co-authors say U.S. policies and defunding of global health initiatives could drive, particularly in LMICs.    Would this help, or harm?  

• A PHEIC declaration from the WHO could prompt further U.S. backlash, but the authors stress that hundreds of thousands of people have already died due to U.S. actions, . 

• Declaring a PHEIC can mobilize funding and facilitate the use of compulsory licensing of essential medicines. 

• Furthermore, it鈥檚 鈥淚mportant to publish articles that provoke debate and encourage different ways of thinking at problems,鈥� .   

The Quote: 鈥� ... We should not wait to call the U.S. president and his administration for what it is鈥攖he worst public health emergency in the world鈥攁nd act accordingly,鈥� Herder and co-authors conclude.    Related: Why the expanded global gag rule is a deadly triple tripwire for recipients of US foreign aid 鈥�   REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS  Lessons From Romania鈥檚 Rapid Abortion Shifts 
To see how abortion policy can dramatically impact maternal mortality, Romania鈥檚 history offers a stark picture.  

Maternal mortality fell steadily across Europe from 1965鈥�1985. But in Romania over that period, the rate surged ~150%.  

Why? Abortion was readily accessible in Romania from 1957 to 1966, when Nicolae Ceau葯escu abruptly restricted the practice, along with contraception. After that, births nearly doubled within a year.  

• With the rise of pregnancies came a spike in abortions from untrained providers. By the 1980s, over 80% of maternal deaths were linked to unsafe abortions.  

About-face: When legalization quickly resumed in 1989, deaths dropped again.  

 

OPPORTUNITY Apply by April 1 for a Travel Award to Attend ASTMH 2026  
The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene is accepting applications for travel grants to attend the ASTMH 2026 Annual Meeting, November 18鈥�22, 2026, at Gaylord National Harbor, Maryland, in the U.S. 

• The 2026 Annual Meeting Travel Award is available to all qualified students, early-career investigators, and scientists actively working in tropical medicine and global health. 

• ASTMH members and non-members are eligible to apply, especially those from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.   

• Recipients receive complimentary meeting registration, round-trip coach airfare, and a stipend to offset travel costs. 

How to apply: Applicants must submit an online application for the travel award and submit an abstract.

1)  

2)  

• Deadline to Apply: April 1, 2026 

•  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Homeward Bound on Steroids 
When we first saw a viral video of seven dogs traveling together on a highway in China鈥檚 Jilin province, the first thought was: We鈥檙e not falling for this AI slop!

Extraordinarily, the video is actually real. The backstory we鈥檙e less sure about.

But the internet never lets the truth get in the way of a good story. Legions of netizens are choosing to believe that a Corgi named Dapang鈥攐r 鈥渂ig fatty鈥濃�攔eally did lead a group of wayward dog friends 17km back to their village after they allegedly chewed through the cages of a meat truck, as . Chinese state media鈥檚 claim that they were 鈥攏ot so fun.

The return of one missing pet feels miraculous enough. When seven missing dogs鈥攁ll close friends鈥攙anish from a village, and not one, not three, but all of them return home safe? The internet 鈥溾�� and started demanding Pixar movies. 

Not to be greedy, but we now also need to see the look on Dapang鈥檚 mom's face when, just as she was losing hope, the heroic Corgi trotted back into her home like nothing had happened.

We鈥檇 settle for AI-generated.

QUICK HITS Scientists call out health-harming corporations driving rise in chronic disease 鈥� 

Means鈥� surgeon general nomination is stalled as senators question her experience and vaccine stance 鈥�  
 
Yep, a mom's COVID shot during pregnancy protects her baby, a large study finds 鈥�   
 
Why do some viruses linger for life? A 900,000-person study maps viral loads 鈥�  
 
The Problem With Promoting 'Gold Standard Science'  鈥� Issue No. 2887
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: Nigeria鈥檚 Transformative Focus on Fistula Surgery; and The Shifting Frontier of Fecal Transplants March 25, 2026 TOP STORIES A landmark verdict against Meta from a New Mexico jury determined that the company knowingly harmed children鈥檚 mental health and concealed child sexual exploitation on its social media platforms in violation of state law; the case is among the first in a wave of such lawsuits filed in U.S. states against Meta.  
 
A Thai court has ruled that an Australian-owned mine is responsible for toxic runoff and its health effects in a decade-old case filed by hundreds of villagers in northern Thailand; the court has ordered compensation for affected residents in the verdict, which could set a precedent for future environmental litigation in the country.  
 
Global maternal mortality numbers reflect policy shifts between U.S. presidential administrations, with countries heavily reliant on U.S. aid seeing a 10.5% increase in maternal mortality following a switch from a Democratic to a Republican administration鈥攚hen family planning and reproductive aid is typically revoked under the Mexico City Policy.  
 
Drought conditions may lead to elevated antibiotic resistance in soil microbes, , which found that lower water content favored the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil microbial communities鈥攖he source of many antibiotics used in clinical medicine.    IN FOCUS Nigeria Health Watch Nigeria鈥檚 Transformative Focus on Fistula Surgery     
Women living with vesicovaginal fistula in Nigeria not only endure physical suffering and incontinence; they often face profound stigma and isolation, describing their lives as 鈥渄ead.鈥�  

• 鈥淚 suffered silently for years, afraid to go anywhere, afraid to be seen,鈥� said survivor Victoria Ifeanyichukwu.  

Reparative surgery can be life-changing, but it鈥檚 financially out of reach for many women in Nigeria, where most health expenses are paid out of pocket. 
 
Insurance intervention: Nigeria鈥檚 National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is providing access to the procedure with a coverage program geared toward fistula patients. 

• 17 facilities across Nigeria providing fistula surgery are now being funded by the NHIA and state health insurance agencies鈥攃overing women鈥檚 out-of-pocket expenses for the surgery. 

• These patients are then additionally enrolled into broader health insurance programs, ensuring continuity of care.  

• In Kano state, 2,157 women have benefited from the fistula program, and in Ebonyi State, ~79 women have been enrolled into ongoing health insurance. 

  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES PHARMACEUTICALS The Shifting Frontier of Fecal Transplants    Within the last five years, the FDA has approved fecal microbiota transplant drugs for hard-to-treat C. diff infections, creating more standard prescription protocols for what has long been a treatment practiced at hospitals鈥� discretion.     New frontiers, narrowed access: Yet this new approval has led to stricter prescription rules, high drug costs, and regulations on suppliers of fecal transplant material鈥攍imiting access for many. 

• The FDA-approved drugs are not approved for children, or for people who are immunocompromised.  

• The nonprofit stool bank OpenBiome, which had sent ~72,000 treatments to hospitals over a decade, had its shipments halted by the FDA in 2024. 

A complex quest for care: Caught in a gap, many people ineligible for the drugs now must embark on a 鈥渢orturous journey鈥� to find alternative transplant options.       OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS New therapies are transforming treatment for drug-resistant TB 鈥� so why aren鈥檛 people getting them? 鈥� 

Tuberculosis Cases and Deaths Averted by PEPFAR 鈥�

Infertility Is A Public Health Issue 鈥�     鈥楢 Mass Disaster Nonstop鈥�: Inside the Turmoil at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.鈥檚 C.D.C. 鈥�      Trump health vacancies offer chances to change course 鈥�     Navigating vaccine hesitancy as a woman recently arrived in Canada: a journey of building trust 鈥�   

New COVID variant with immune escape potential confirmed in US, 22 other countries 鈥� 

Cuba sends doctors on medical missions. The U.S. isn't a fan 鈥�   Issue No. 2886
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 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.


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96 Global Health NOW: A New Form of Diabetes Comes for the Undernourished; and Curbing Domestic Violence in Kyrgyzstan March 24, 2026 TOP STORIES Pfizer will seek regulatory approval for a Lyme disease vaccine candidate that it says shows strong efficacy鈥攔educing the risk of developing the infection by more than 70% in people who received the vaccine versus placebo; Pfizer acknowledged, though, that not enough participants contracted the disease for conclusive confidence, potentially complicating the path to approval. 
  NIH grant terminations over the last year affected women scientists more than men,  that shows that women had, on average, 57.9% of their grant affected, compared to ~48.2% for men; early career women were disproportionately affected despite receiving less NIH funding in general. 
  Suriname confirmed a significant rise in chikungunya cases in an outbreak declared in January with 1,357+ confirmed infections, one confirmed death and another under investigation; health officials say the actual caseload may be 3X higher.  
  Four U.S. states that mandated more frequent syphilis screening during pregnancy and at delivery saw a 26% rise in case detection, , but the effect faded in the year after the mandates began, indicating the measures may require complementary supports for clinicians and patients, the researchers posit.   IN FOCUS A New Form of Diabetes Comes for the Undernourished    Across Africa, diabetes now poses a mortality threat that rivals infectious diseases like malaria and HIV鈥攂ut is far less recognizable. 

• An estimated 54 million Africans have diabetes鈥攚hich can cause blindness, amputations, and death. But many cases go undiagnosed. 

In Cameroon, 75% of people with diabetes are unaware they have the disease. Only a third of diagnosed patients receive treatment, and cost is a devastating barrier.     While infectious disease programs targeting malaria and HIV provide free treatment, there is no such support for diabetes care. Diagnostic tests are unaffordable for most, and a month's insulin supply costs an entire month's wages for basic laborers.    The crisis is compounded by a newly recognized form of the disease鈥擳ype 5 diabetes鈥攂elieved to be caused by malnutrition that prevents normal pancreas development. This 鈥渋nsidious form鈥� is particularly overlooked because diabetes is not typically associated with underweight, undernourished patients.    There are hopes that a growing drug industry in Cameroon will start to produce both insulin and other drugs and supplies, and that the growing domestic market will help bring down prices.     But in the meantime, with 鈥渇ew resources for research and even less time,鈥� physicians are focusing their resources on screening and prevention, including equipping primary health workers with blood glucose meters and blood pressure machines.      DATA POINT

More than 1 in 5
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�斺赌斺赌斺赌�  

Number of new tuberculosis cases in Europe that are unreported by health services鈥撯�揳 critical detection gap revealed in the  published today by the WHO/Europe and the ECDC, marking World Tuberculosis Day. 鈥�

Related: New Tongue-Swab TB Test Could Help Eradicate the Disease, WHO Says 鈥�

HUMAN RIGHTS Curbing Domestic Violence in Kyrgyzstan    In 1990s Kyrgyzstan, domestic violence was rarely discussed openly and few legal or social resources were in place to support survivors.     But after three decades of dedicated work, advocates have made steady progress from silence to support, including: 

• Laws addressing family abuse. 

• A growing number of crisis centers and hotlines. 

• An increase in trained psychologists.  

• Work with international groups to stop sex trafficking.  

The quote: 鈥淚f even one person who has suffered remains without protection, then we still haven鈥檛 done everything we must,鈥� said B眉byusara Ryskulova, who founded the Sezim crisis center in 1998 to support survivors.    
  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS 鈥楾he whole country is doing it鈥�: how illegal kidney traders target Pakistan鈥檚 desperate brick kiln workers 鈥�    Trump's visa freeze sidelines immigrant doctors 鈥�     "We've Been in Famine for Months": Life in Post-Ceasefire Gaza 鈥�      Africa Rejects New Draft Text 鈥�      How the term 鈥榥eurodivergent鈥� moved from activists to pop culture 鈥� and politics 鈥� 

By finding 'bright spots' in the opioid crisis, VCU researchers are mapping a path to better outcomes 鈥�   Issue No. 2885
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 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.


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The World Health Organization (WHO) called on Tuesday for countries to step up action to end tuberculosis (TB) 鈥� one of the world鈥檚 deadliest infectious killers 鈥� by expanding access to new diagnostic tools that can help save lives.