Global Health Programs aggregator

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: A Long Road to Rehabilitation for Gaza’s Amputees; and New Rules for Digital Accessibility

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:35:42 -0400

Global Health NOW: A Long Road to Rehabilitation for Gaza’s Amputees; and New Rules for Digital Accessibility

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April 9, 2026


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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’s Amputees

For the hundreds of adults and children from Gaza who have undergone amputations since 2023, specialized prosthetic treatment remains a struggle to access—with 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, per WHO estimates; at the conflict’s height in 2023, 10+ children lost one or both legs every day, per Save the Children.

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 Sadakataşı.

The Guardian

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––improvements 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.

NPR

Related: Digital Accessibility: Teaching and Learning Resources – The Elm (The University of Maryland, Baltimore)

OPPORTUNITY

Calling Current and Future Global Health Leaders

This month, join Unite For Sight—a nonprofit global health delivery organization committed to promoting high-quality care for all—for the 23rd annual Global Health & Innovation Conference in Connecticut.

The gathering brings together global health leaders and “dives deep into bold ideas, transformative innovation, and responsible global engagement.”

Plenary panels include:

Defining Purpose in Global Health

Designing Better Solutions for Global Health

What Real Impact Looks Like

Local Leadership and Global Partnerships

April 18–19, 2026; North Haven, CT

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 Nutella stayed within arm’s reach.

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, reports Futurism; a relatable reminder that snacks are the real highlight of any professional venture.

Nutella is just one of 189 NASA-approved items selected for the Artemis menu, which includes broccoli au gratin, cobbler, and barbecued beef brisket.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Space Agency ensured their astronaut Jeremy Hansen had his requisite maple syrup.

The food must be shelf-stable and as crumb-less as possible for microgravity, hence the inclusion of 58 tortillas, reports Scientific American. 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, reports National Geographic—a little more than 10 cups per astronaut over the 10-day mission.

QUICK HITS

Pesticides may wreak havoc on the gut microbiome – Science

Eye symptoms may signal higher-severity long COVID – CIDRAP

Scientists Move Closer to Male Birth Control With No Hormones, No Snip – Gizmodo

Patients scramble to find estrogen patches as shortage worsens after US FDA champions use – Reuters

Should’ve put a ring on it? Maybe! Marriage is linked to lower risk of cancer – CNN

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 Facebook and follow us on Instagram @globalhealth.now and X @GHN_News.

Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues: http://www.globalhealthnow.org/subscribe

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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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World Health Organization: Lebanon: Health system overwhelmed following a ‘horrific’ day of Israeli strikes

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

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’s already strained health system struggling to cope, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: A Better Solution for Sickle Cell Care in Africa Amid Aid Cuts?; and Immigration Raids Heightening Postpartum Isolation

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:53:08 -0400

Global Health NOW: A Better Solution for Sickle Cell Care in Africa Amid Aid Cuts?; and Immigration Raids Heightening Postpartum Isolation

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April 8, 2026


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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—Olivia 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.

“Sickle cell disease is a very terrible disease,” says Nansamba, lifting up her baby’s swollen, bandage-wrapped hand. “Sometimes there’s pain, pain, pain.”

A brutal killer: Sickle cell disease can cause extreme pain crises, strokes, and organ damage. It claims 376,000 lives 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’s 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: “There are many fancy things you can do, but primary care can take care of the bulk of the issues––and at a very low cost,” Lubega says. “So that’s our mission.”

Brian W. Simpson and Joanne Cavanaugh Simpson for Global Health NOW

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––and putting off important postpartum checkups—in an effort to avoid detention.

The 19th

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, 2–3 p.m. EDT

QUICK HITS

“I Don’t Want to Die in India”: The Hidden Corridor of East African Sex Trafficking – More to Her Story

Srinidhi Polkampally and Bhav Jain: What American hospitals can learn from India about waste – STAT (commentary)

Idaho Cut Services for People With Schizophrenia. Then the Deaths Began. – The New York Times (gift link)

From misdiagnosis to medical bias: Why women are living longer but not better – UN Wire

Poll: Here’s what MAHA actually believes – Politico

Study advances safe, reversible male contraceptive without hormones – News Medical

Issue No. 2894

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Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: Food, Fuel, and Fertilizer Shortages Follow Iran War; and Eswatini’s Limited Access to a Livesaving Drug

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:51:18 -0400

Global Health NOW: Food, Fuel, and Fertilizer Shortages Follow Iran War; and Eswatini’s Limited Access to a Livesaving Drug

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April 7, 2026


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IN FOCUS

The âSakrâ 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, NPR Global Health reports.

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 Médecins Sans Frontières 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’s extremely serious in countries that have very little resilience to shocks like this,” the International Rescue Committee’s Bob Kitchen told NPR. “Whenever one piece of the puzzle is missing or delayed, the consequences are very, very severe.”

Disease risks: The WHO has already documented increases in chickenpox, shigellosis, and influenza, in affected countries, per Devex.

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’s Pasteur medical research centre ‘heavily damaged’ in strike – The Telegraph

Karl Blanchet, Sultan Barakat, Bernadette Kumar, and Paul Spiegel: Iran's humanitarian crisis: war, legality, and the erosion of population health – The Lancet Regional Health Europe (commentary)

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—Chapel Hill

4 Harvard University

4 University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

6 Columbia University

6 University of California—Berkeley

6 University of California—Los Angeles

9 Boston University

9 University of Washington

This year’s rankings include 224 schools and programs of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.

U.S. News & World Report

DATA POINT

1 in 4
————

Black men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives—2X the rate of white men—and 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. —The Independent

HIV/AIDS

Eswatini’s Limited Access to a Livesaving Drug

The drug lenacapavir could make a huge difference in curbing HIV transmission in the small country of Eswatini—if clinics could get enough of the drug.

Background: Eswatini is home to one of the world’s 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 “not even a drop in the ocean,” said Nkululeko Dube, programme director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Eswatini.

The Guardian

Related:

Our LEN is here. Now for quality checks in Ireland – Bhekisisa

Congress gave money for global HIV work. The Trump administration isn't spending it – NPR

‘We fear the epidemic will return’: Senegal’s harsh anti-gay law puts decades of HIV progress in jeopardy – The Guardian

QUICK HITS

WHO calls for action: “Together for health. Stand with science.” to mark World Health Day – WHO

Trump’s Foreign Aid Overhaul Sent Millions More Dollars to Big U.S.-Based Contractors – The New York Times (gift link)

Trump administration's secrecy on health deals alarms experts, governments – The Washington Post (gift link)

A star scientist showed that better genetics lessons could reduce racism. It was the death knell for his career – STAT

Iodised salt has become uncool but many of us need to eat more iodine – New Scientist

Issue No. 2893

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�� Faculty of Medicine news: Largest-ever study of psychedelics could help advance their use in treating mental health disorders

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:39:31 -0400

Scientists have demonstrated, for the first time, that several psychedelic drugs – including psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, DMT and ayahuasca – produce a common pattern of brain activity despite their distinct chemistries.

An international consortium led by a �� 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.

World Health Organization: From misdiagnosis to medical bias: Why women are living longer but not better

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

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

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW; A Spiraling Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan; and China’s Expansive New Environmental Code

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:39:15 -0400

Global Health NOW; A Spiraling Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan; and China’s Expansive New Environmental Code

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April 6, 2026


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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’s civil war enters its fourth year, the country faces “one of the gravest humanitarian and public health emergencies in the world today,” warned WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus—with 33.7 million+ people needing aid, women suffering under systemic violence, and a health system near total collapse amid relentless attacks and shortages, reports AllAfrica.

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—including seven medical staffers, reports the AP.

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, reports UN News.

No safety for women: Women in Sudan have seen their rights pushed “hundreds of years backwards” amid pervasive sexual violence and repression, said Hala Al-Karib, regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, per Radio Dabanga.

“There are no safe places for women and girls in Darfur,” concluded a recent report by Médecins Sans Frontières 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’s 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’s ability to challenge the government, as it states that environmental lawsuits can only be filed against companies and individuals—not against government entities.

Science

OPPORTUNITY

QUICK HITS

Iran: Military Stepping Up Child Recruitment: Campaign Lowers Minimum Age to 12 – Human Rights Watch

Slasher sequel: Trump again proposes major cuts to U.S. science spending – Science

H.H.S. Takes a First Step Toward Restoring Vaccine Advisory Committee – The New York Times (gift link)

Raw dairy farm recalls some cheese products as FDA investigates E. coli outbreak – CNN

‘Wow!’ The eye surgery marathon that restored sight for some South Africans – AP

How your smart phone could help your motion sickness in moving vehicles – The Hill

Issue No. 2892

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World Health Organization: ‘We watched them die before our eyes’: Sudan health workers helpless amid medical shortages

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

As violence forces tens of thousands to flee Sudan’s South Kordofan state, doctors in a key maternity hospital are facing impossible choices – with too few supplies, too many patients, and lives slipping away.

Samir Shaheen-Hussain in Devoir: Une justice inatteignable

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Honorons la mémoire de Kimberly Gloade en luttant pour un système de soins de santé humain.

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: You're Invited! Join Us in DC April 9 for a Communications Workshop

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:02:56 -0400

Global Health NOW: You're Invited! Join Us in DC April 9 for a Communications Workshop

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April 2, 2026


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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––it 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.–4 p.m. EDT We’d love to see you for all or part of the day!

CUGH 2026 Special Event Update

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Global Health Programs aggregator

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: A Long Road to Rehabilitation for Gaza’s Amputees; and New Rules for Digital Accessibility

TOP STORIES

IN FOCUS

A Long Road to Rehabilitation for Gaza’s Amputees

POLICY

New Rules for Digital Accessibility

OPPORTUNITY

Calling Current and Future Global Health Leaders

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION

Houston, We Have a Cobbler

QUICK HITS

Issue No. 2895

World Health Organization: Lebanon: Health system overwhelmed following a ‘horrific’ day of Israeli strikes

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: A Better Solution for Sickle Cell Care in Africa Amid Aid Cuts?; and Immigration Raids Heightening Postpartum Isolation

TOP STORIES

IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE

A Better Solution for Sickle Cell Care in Africa Amid Aid Cuts?

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Immigration Raids Heightening Postpartum Isolation

OPPORTUNITY

Save the Date: World Immunization Week Webinar

QUICK HITS

Issue No. 2894

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: Food, Fuel, and Fertilizer Shortages Follow Iran War; and Eswatini’s Limited Access to a Livesaving Drug

TOP STORIES

IN FOCUS

Food, Fuel, and Fertilizer Shortages Follow Iran War

PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION

Johns Hopkins Tops Rankings of U.S. Public Health Schools

DATA POINT

HIV/AIDS

Eswatini’s Limited Access to a Livesaving Drug

QUICK HITS

Issue No. 2893

�������� Faculty of Medicine news: Largest-ever study of psychedelics could help advance their use in treating mental health disorders

World Health Organization: From misdiagnosis to medical bias: Why women are living longer but not better

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW; A Spiraling Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan; and China’s Expansive New Environmental Code

TOP STORIES

IN FOCUS

A Spiraling Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

POLLUTION

China’s Expansive New Environmental Code

OPPORTUNITY

QUICK HITS

Issue No. 2892

World Health Organization: ‘We watched them die before our eyes’: Sudan health workers helpless amid medical shortages

Samir Shaheen-Hussain in Devoir: Une justice inatteignable

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: You're Invited! Join Us in DC April 9 for a Communications Workshop

JOIN US IN DC FOR A FREE WORKSHOP!

Media-Savvy Skills for Scientists

CUGH 2026 Special Event Update

�� Faculty of Medicine news: Largest-ever study of psychedelics could help advance their use in treating mental health disorders