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The UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday that cuts to international aid and persistent funding gaps are undermining the global health system.

96 CNNTD Newsletter: World NTD Day 2026 |Bulletin du RCMTN: /Journ茅e mondiale des MTN 2026 Recent news and updates from CNNTD | Nouvelles et mises 脿 jour r茅centes du RCMTN January 29, 2026/ Janvier 29, 2026 -->  Join us on World NTD Day, January 30th, 2026!  
Rejoignez-nous pour la Journ茅e mondiale des MTN, le 30 janvier 2026!  -->

We hope you will join us in celebrating the incredible achievements made in eliminating NTDs, with 58 countries having eliminated at least 1 NTD to date. World NTD Day also provides an opportunity to mobilize greater attention and support for these diseases that continue to affect more than one billion people today. Here's hoping for more incredible achievements in 2026 for people living with and at risk of NTDs. 

鈥�...

Nous esp茅rons que vous vous joindrez 脿 nous pour c茅l茅brer les incroyables progr猫s r茅alis茅s dans l'茅limination des MTN, avec 58 pays ayant 茅limin茅 au moins une MTN 脿 ce jour. La Journ茅e mondiale des MTN offre 茅galement une occasion de mobiliser davantage l'attention et le soutien sur ces maladies qui continuent de toucher plus d'un milliard de personnes aujourd'hui. Nous esp茅rons que 2026 sera marqu茅e par d'autres progr猫s incroyables pour les personnes atteintes ou expos茅es aux MTN. 

--> We Invite our Canadian Members to be #Onefor1BILLION and #Write4NTDs / Nous invitons nos membres canadiens 脿 participer aux campagnes #UnisPourUnMilliard et #EcrivezPourLesMTNs If you are joining us from Canada, we invite you to participate in our #Onefor1BILLION #Write4NTDs letter writing campaign! Write to your MP to let them know that Canada can and should invest in NTDs. Ask them to make a statement in the House of Commons! Here鈥檚 how to join in and in . ............. Si vous nous rejoignez depuis le Canada, nous vous invitons tous 脿 participer 脿 notre campagne de lettres #UnisPourUnMILLIARD #EcrivezPourLesMTNs! 脡crivez 脿 votre d茅put茅 pour lui faire savoir que le Canada peut et doit investir dans la lutte contre les MTN. Demandez-lui de faire une d茅claration 脿 la Chambre des communes! Voici comment participer en et en . --> Let's Get Social with our Social Media Toolkit for World NTD Day/ 
Soyons sociaux avec notre kit d'outils pour les r茅seaux sociaux 脿 l'occasion de la Journ茅e mondiale des MTN --> We have a World NTD Day social media toolkit, which . All of our World NTD Day materials can be found on our World NTD Day Webpage here: ............. Nous disposon d'une trousse d'outils pour les m茅dias sociaux, . Tous nos documents sur la Journ茅e mondiale des MTN sont disponibles sur notre page Web consacr茅e 脿 cette journ茅e:  --> Check out the Global NTDs Youth Platform - Just in Time for World NTD Day/ D茅couvrez la plateforme mondiale des jeunes sur les MTN, juste 脿 temps pour la Journ茅e mondiale des MTN --> Webinars on World NTD Day and Beyond/ 
Webinaires sur la Journ茅e mondiale des MTN et au-del脿 --> January 30, 2026 - 
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February 9, 2026 - 

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--> Join us! Rejoignez-nous! The Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases welcomes individual, organizational and international members. .  --- Le R茅seau canadien des maladies tropicales n茅glig茅es accueille des membres individuels, organisationnels et internationaux. Copyright 漏 2026 Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, All rights reserved.


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For the first time, drug targeting genetic mutation shown to have positive impact in mice models

Hydrocephalus is a life-threatening condition that occurs in about 1 in 1,000 newborns and is often treated with invasive surgery. Now, a new study offers hope of preventing hydrocephalus before it even occurs.

96 Global Health NOW: Reproductive Care Collapses in Afghanistan Plus: Time to Chart a New Path to Africa鈥檚 Malaria-Free Future January 29, 2026 TOP STORIES Malaria deaths could spike to half a million across Africa over the next 25 years due to climate change, 鈥攚hich finds that shifting and extreme weather patterns could lead to an additional 123 million malaria cases across the continent.     Two animal-borne pathogens pose a growing threat to humans, warns a new ; the viruses, influenza D virus and canine coronavirus, have been 鈥渇lying under the radar,鈥� but conditions are shifting that have improved their capacity to spread among humans, researchers say.     HPV screening rates among underserved groups in Australia were 鈥渟ubstantially boosted鈥� through cervical sample self-collection programs, ; participation was especially high among women who were 10+ years overdue for screening and those living in very remote areas.     Twice-yearly PrEP is slowly becoming more accessible to people in the U.S., as insurers gradually agree to cover the high-cost drug, Yeztugo鈥攁n injection of the drug lenacapavir.  IN FOCUS Farida, 30, a midwife, monitors pregnant women close to delivering, at the provincial hospital's maternity department, on August 27, 2025, in Ghazni, Afghanistan. Elise Blanchard/Getty Images Reproductive Care Collapses in Afghanistan 
Women in Afghanistan increasingly have nowhere to turn to prevent pregnancies or find basic prenatal services, as the country鈥檚 reproductive care system deteriorates under the Taliban.     Birth control banned: The  started in 2023, with contraceptives swiftly disappearing from shelves and doctors forbidden from dispensing them鈥攅ven for women whose lives could be threatened by pregnancy.     Clinic closed: Clinics accused of violating the Taliban鈥檚 orders face risk of closure; doctors have also been forced to close their doors after the sudden drop in international aid last year. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Talk About the Weather
Year after year, epic snowstorms prove that behind every winter weather report is a comedian waiting in the wings. This week was no different across the U.S., with reporters and officials resorting to jokes and light shaming to keep people indoors.     A sampling:     鈥淥PERATION BREAD AND MILK:鈥� The  to chill out on hoarding supplies. 鈥淲e鈥檝e already seen the frantic look in your eyes,鈥� they wrote. 鈥淵ou are 鈥� not launching a three-year mission to Mars.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;    鈥淧ark it on the couch,鈥� Kansas City, Missouri. The local fire department 鈥攐r people trying to squeeze in a mani-pedi: 鈥� Hush Jessica.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;    These gems are important reminders of iconic past weather reports:     An anchorman鈥檚 鈥�.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;A reporter delivered breaking updates using a rubber chicken for reference, and struggled to make a snow angel. 鈥淚s it great snowman snow? No, man, no.鈥� Cincinnati, Ohio, 2025    鈥淗onestly the hardest I鈥檝e ever worked.鈥� A  named Big Papi. Manchester, New Hampshire, 2022     鈥淥h, boy.鈥� Less forecast, more Shakespearean monologue. A local weatherman warned that our 鈥溾�� Baltimore, Maryland, 2010   QUICK HITS Radical changes could be coming to 鈥榩sychiatry鈥檚 bible鈥� 鈥�   
 
Risk of maternal death during pregnancy greatly underestimated, study finds 鈥�  
 
鈥楻ise in insecurity, hostile environment affecting NTDs programme鈥� 鈥�  
 
Tanzania Among Seven Countries Included in the New Network to Strengthen Collaborative Disease Surveillance 鈥�  
 
On Public Health and Human Rights in Minneapolis 鈥�  
 
Eating snow cones or snow cream can be a winter delight, if done safely 鈥�  Issue No. 2855
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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A preclinical study published in Nature has found evidence that the hippocampus, the brain region that stores memory, also reorganizes memories to anticipate future outcomes.

A preclinical study published in Nature has found evidence that the hippocampus, the brain region that stores memory, also reorganizes memories to anticipate future outcomes.

96 Global Health NOW: Grasping for Hope as Haiti Unravels; and Volunteer Vector Control in Bangladesh January 28, 2026 TOP STORIES The U.S. maternal syphilis rate spiked 28% from 2022 to 2024, ; the latest uptick is part of a worsening trend that has involved a 200%+ rise in maternal syphilis over the past decade, which is leading to a surge of congenital syphilis in infants.     The Trump administration has directed Gavi to eliminate vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal as a precondition for continued funding; anti-vaccine groups have claimed that thimerosal causes autism, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.  
Humanity鈥檚 risk of self-annihilation is closer than ever, say scientists who set the symbolic 鈥淒oomsday Clock鈥� to 85 seconds to catastrophe yesterday鈥攏oting existential threats including nuclear war, climate change, risks of artificial intelligence, and biological disaster.     The WHO has issued global guidance for school lunches鈥攍imiting sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, while expanding pulses and whole grains; the agency says it will provide technical assistance to support countries in meeting the goal.   IN FOCUS A person walks past cars burned and used as a barricade by armed gangs during clashes last week with Haitian security forces in Port-au-Prince. January 16. Clarens Siffroy/AFP via Getty Grasping for Hope as Haiti Unravels     Violence continues to roil Haiti as powerful gangs clash with state police鈥攄isplacing civilians, gutting health care, and precipitating an ongoing exodus of foreign aid that the country has long depended on. 
  Continued escalation: 100+ violence victims have been treated in Port-au-Prince in just two weeks, 鈥攐ne of the few groups still providing medical care amid attacks from gangs, which control ~90% of the capital and have displaced more than 1.4 million people. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS South Carolina Is America鈥檚 New Measles Norm 鈥�    After Donations, Trump Administration Revoked Rule Requiring More Nursing Home Staff 鈥�     Antibiotic use in US meat production jumped 16% in 2024, report shows 鈥�     How 鈥榞as station drugs鈥� remain legal 鈥�      Being a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about it 鈥�     What the Rise of AI Scientists May Mean for Human Research 鈥�     What 鈥楾he Office鈥� and other TV shows get wrong about CPR 鈥�   Issue No. 2854
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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96 Global Health NOW: Measles Marches Across Europe; Tributes to William Foege; and Classifying Postpartum Psychosis January 27, 2026 TOP STORIES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• The research will be completed in approximately two months. 

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

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

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

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

Has the golden age of global health ended? The health takeaways from Davos 2026 鈥�     Ancient DNA Reveals Twisted Roots of Syphilis Go Back 5,500 Years 鈥�   Issue No. 2853
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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For the first time ever, the World Health Organization (WHO) is providing recommendations for healthy and nutritious food in schools around the world.

96 Global Health NOW: Global Health sNOW Day January 26, 2026 Edmund Lowe Photography / Getty Creative Global Health SNOW Day
GHN is off today due to inclement weather and reduced operations at Johns Hopkins University. We plan to be back tomorrow with all the latest global health news! 鈥�Dayna Issue No. 2852
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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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Dr William H. Foege, a legend in global public health, passed away on 24 January 2026. His life and legacy offer several lessons for global public health

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a detailed statement regretting the United States decision to leave the UN agency, and declaring that it will leave both the US and the world less safe as a result.

96 Global Health NOW: The U.S. Has Left the WHO. What Now? January 22, 2026 TOP STORIES An 鈥榚ra of global water bankruptcy鈥� is now in effect, with irreversible consequences that mean 鈥渕any regions are living beyond their hydrological means,鈥�  that calls for a shift from emergency thinking to long-term response and restructuring.  
 
Cardiovascular disease fatalities dropped in the U.S. by 2.7% between 2022 and 2023, 鈥攂ut heart disease and stroke are still the nation鈥檚 leading cause of death, accounting for more than a quarter of all deaths in the U.S. in 2023.   
 
An infant formula recall affecting 18 countries has been issued by French dairy company Lactalis after some batches were flagged for a dangerous toxin; the recall marks the third major infant formula recall this year following other contamination incidents from Nestl茅 and Danone.  
 
Maternal genetic factors may shed new light on common factors behind pregnancy loss, , which analyzed ~140,000 IVF embryos and found links between specific variations in a mother's DNA and their risk of miscarriage.    IN FOCUS A sign with the WHO logo outside their headquarters in Geneva, on August 17, 2020. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images The U.S. Has Left the WHO
The U.S. formally leaves the WHO today, completing a yearlong withdrawal process begun on President Trump鈥檚 first day in office in 2025, and leaving a budgetary crisis and ruptured global health security in its wake, .   
 
Global fallout: The loss of the U.S.鈥攐nce the WHO鈥檚 largest donor鈥攈as led the agency to make deep budget cuts and plan layoffs for nearly a quarter of its staff. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Study highlights impact of gender dynamics on antibiotic use 鈥�   

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

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

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

Global buzzwords that will be buzzing in your ear in 2026 鈥�  Issue No. 2851
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Plans include:  

• Stricter alcohol limits and higher penalties for violators. 

• Mandatory eye tests for drivers ages 70+. 

• Longer learning periods for new drivers. 

• Automatic emergency braking in all new cars. 

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

• Improved crash testing.

QUICK HITS The divorce between the U.S. and WHO is final this week. Or is it? 鈥�     Doctors in Minnesota decry fear and chaos amid Trump administration鈥檚 immigration crackdown 鈥�      One Year Later: The Effect of US 鈥楥hainsaw鈥� on Global Health 鈥�      New report reveals shocking prevalence of illegal children鈥檚 homes 鈥�      Pharmacists' Risk of Suicide Higher Than the General Public 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!     The activists taking on Brazil鈥檚 femicide crisis 鈥� via social media 鈥�      What lingers in 鈥楾he Pitt鈥� is heartache. What鈥檚 missing is outrage 鈥�   Issue No. 2850
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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96 Global Health NOW: The Bacterial Detective Battling Superbugs in Nigeria; and Historic Clues for a Modern Medical Mystery January 20, 2026 TOP STORIES Unusually heavy rains across Mozambique in the last few weeks have triggered a 鈥渞apidly escalating emergency鈥� affecting 513,000+ people鈥攐ver half of them children, who are at an especially high risk in disease outbreaks, given compromised access to safe water and preexisting high malnutrition rates.    
Chinese authorities are blocking online searches about the country's plunging births after official figures released yesterday showed the country's birth rate dipped to 5.63 per 1,000 last year鈥攖he lowest since the 1949 founding of the People's Republic.     A personalized experimental drug based on mRNA technology halved melanoma patients鈥� risk of recurrence or death after five years compared with patients treated only with immunotherapy, per Moderna.  
A new meta-analysis and systematic review of 43 studies concluded that taking Tylenol (also known as paracetamol) during pregnancy does not cause autism in children, ; the review follows President Trump鈥檚 warning against taking the medication during pregnancy.   IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE Iruka Okeke and her small team run a national surveillance project tracking antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria. Andrew Esiebo The Bacterial Detective Battling Superbugs in Nigeria    IBADAN, Nigeria鈥�Inside a crowded University of Ibadan lab, Iruka Okeke and her dozen students are running a national surveillance project for one of Nigeria's鈥攁nd Africa's鈥攎ost understudied problems: antimicrobial resistance (AMR).  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DATA POINT

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

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

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

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

Sugar Land resident advances global cancer research while still an undergrad 鈥�  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Napkins for bandages: How 11 doctors survived the siege of El Fasher 鈥�     The near death 鈥� and last-minute reprieve 鈥� of a trial for an HIV vaccine 鈥�     The Obituary Of The US Childhood Immunization Schedule 鈥�     Drug use disorders a growing public health concern in the Americas, PAHO study finds 鈥�      Public Views About Opioid Overdose and People With Opioid Use Disorder 鈥�     More than half of mpox patients in 2022 outbreak experienced lasting physical effects: Study 鈥�     Alzheimer's finger-prick test could help diagnosis 鈥�   Issue No. 2849
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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96 How Concerning Are Microplastics? The Jury Is Still Out. January 15, 2026 TOP STORIES Reproductive care in Gaza has faced widespread destruction, leading to limited access to medical facilities, severe malnutrition, and restrictions on humanitarian aid, and resulting in poor birth outcomes and death, and in 鈥渞eproductive violence in violation of international law,鈥�  by Physicians for Human Rights.  

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

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

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

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

We鈥檒l be back Tuesday with more news! 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Light-bin McQueen 

• Bin Diesel  

• Gone Bin 60 Seconds 

And that鈥檚 !  

One bin of contention: Wallhead demonstrated his warp-speed wheelie bin by riding in it. But we鈥檇 much rather it drag our trash to the curb without us going near it, let alone inside it. Please and thank you. QUICK HITS HHS terminates, then reinstates, thousands of grants for substance use, mental health 鈥�      Hundreds of laid-off researchers at US workplace safety center are being reinstated 鈥�     Medical groups will ask court to block new CDC vaccine recommendations 鈥�      25,000 TB Cases Unreported ... Ghana Risks Missing WHO Target - Dr Amenyo 鈥�     Should younger and older people receive different treatments for the same infection? 鈥�     Researchers uncover hundreds of emojis in patient records 鈥�   Issue No. 2848
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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A large 海角社区 study has found that two classes of medications commonly prescribed for Type 2 diabetes, both incretin-based, are associated with a reduced risk of dementia.

Drawing on clinical data from more than 450,000 patients, the research adds to growing evidence that incretin-based therapies have protective benefits for the brain.

examined GLP-1 receptor agonists, which include such medications as Ozempic, as well as DPP-4 inhibitors.

A large 海角社区 study has found that two classes of medications commonly prescribed for Type 2 diabetes, both incretin-based, are associated with a reduced risk of dementia.

Drawing on clinical data from more than 450,000 patients, the research adds to growing evidence that incretin-based therapies have protective benefits for the brain.

examined GLP-1 receptor agonists, which include such medications as Ozempic, as well as DPP-4 inhibitors.