黑料社

96 Global Health NOW: Upending Lesotho鈥檚 HIV Fight; The Danger of 鈥楢merica First鈥� in Global Health; and A Series of Very Fortunate Events October 16, 2025 Upending Lesotho鈥檚 HIV Fight    Over two decades, U.S. funding helped Lesotho, a small nation with one of the world鈥檚 highest HIV rates, build an effective health network that allowed it to make lifesaving gains to set it on track for AIDS elimination by 2030.  

• Last year Lesotho reached UNAIDS鈥檚 95-95-95 target of HIV-positive people aware of their status, in treatment, and reporting a suppressed viral load. 

But that progress has quickly unraveled in the months following the Trump administration鈥檚 abrupt freeze on foreign aid and the dismantling of USAID. Lesotho officials estimate that the country has been set back 15 years and that thousands of lives are at risk.    Through and , the consequences of cuts and subsequent chaos come into sharp focus: 

• 鈥淓veryone who is HIV-positive in Lesotho is a dead man walking,鈥� said Hlaoli Monyamane, a 32-year-old miner with HIV.  

Pivotal PEPFAR funds slashed: Lesotho lost 23% of its PEPFAR funding鈥攐ne of the hardest-hit nations in terms of the share of such funding cuts. The immediate cutoff led to shuttered clinics and labs, widespread layoffs among health workers, and the sudden halt of prevention programs, including ones targeting mother-to-baby HIV transmission.  

• "When a child who was receiving treatment stops getting treatment, it feels like a crime against humanity,鈥� said Catherine Connor, with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation 

Temporary reinstatement, persistent uncertainty: The U.S. State Department has since announced 鈥渂ridge鈥� programs to resume lifesaving HIV services, but restarting the programs is slow and fear remains high. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Uruguay has legalized euthanasia, making it one of the first countries in Latin America to pass such legislation; it is now among a dozen countries worldwide to allow assisted suicide.     Abortion access in Costa Rica has now been restricted to cases when the mother鈥檚 life is in danger after a rule change made by the country鈥檚 president that required no legislative approval.     ~700 drugs used in the U.S. depend on chemicals solely produced in China, ; experts fear that such heavy reliance on China could leave American patients vulnerable if the country curtails exports.   A New York resident with chikungunya is the state鈥檚 first known locally acquired case, health officials say; the U.S. hasn't seen a locally acquired infection since 2019. U.S. and Global Health Policy News Democratic governors form a public health alliance in a rebuke of Trump 鈥�     How Texas Planned Parenthood is surviving without public funds 鈥�     Foreign Aid Cuts Halt Migrant and Refugee Health Project in Peru Partners In Health 鈥�     Trump Rattles Vaccine Experts Over Aluminum 鈥�   GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY A pharmacist stocks PrEP medicine at a pharmacy in a community center operated by LoveYourself, a nonprofit impacted by U.S. foreign aid cuts. February 19, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. Ezra Acayan/Getty The Danger of 鈥楢merica First鈥� in Global Health    The recently released  presents a bold vision of U.S. leadership while overlooking the realities on the ground that determine whether lives are saved or lost, in an exclusive commentary for GHN. 
The argument: 

• The strategy equates health leadership with dollars spent and medical products exported. However, among high-income nations, the U.S. health system has the  ($13,432 per person) and the  (78.4 years).  

• The strategy correctly notes that U.S. foreign assistance programs are often inefficient, but it offers misguided solutions including privatization, conditional aid, and bilateral agreements.  

• Its narrow focus on infectious diseases reflects yesterday鈥檚 battles, not today鈥檚 realities.  

• The report overlooks the pivotal role of soft diplomacy yet concedes that programs like PEPFAR and smallpox eradication did more than save lives.  

• The authors are most concerned by the strategy鈥檚 retreat from multilateralism. Global health crises cannot be contained through a patchwork of bilateral agreements, the pair argues.  

The takeaway: If implemented, the strategy would worsen the very problems it seeks to solve, write Crawford, a Stanford University clinical professor, and Barry, senior associate dean for Global Health at Stanford.    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES SUBSTANCE USE Ireland鈥檚 Alcohol Labels Dry Up    Passed in 2018, Ireland鈥檚 Public Health (Alcohol) Act鈥攁 law that would require cancer warnings on all alcohol containers鈥攚as due to take effect in 2026.     But in July, the Irish government quietly postponed the measure until 2028.    Why? Newly obtained documents reveal a campaign by alcohol companies to delay the law鈥檚 implementation.     How did they do it? 

• Weaponizing trade disputes by calling the proposed legislation a non-tariff trade barrier. 

• Insisting that future labeling requirements are best pursued at the European level. 

• Using 鈥渟cience鈥慴ased鈥� reports to downplay alcohol鈥檚 cancer risks. 

Health experts expressed concern the label rollout may never materialize.         ICYMI: Why Alcohol Needs a Cancer Warning Label 鈥� 

Related: When men drink, women and children pay the price 鈥�   ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION A Series of Very Fortunate Events    To connect with fellow humans, some people get together for dinner, coffee, or a walk. Others make art from pork scraps, or celebrate the birth of someone long dead.    It seems that no matter the hobby, there鈥檚 a gathering to match. It just may be on the other side of the planet.     Some options:    Put a fork in it: Pudding mit Gabel鈥擥erman for 鈥淚 eat pudding wrong,鈥� 鈥攊s the ideal meetup if you want to eat the soupy treat with a fork.    Pork art: In Pennsylvania, there鈥檚 a , an iconic but infamous 鈥減orcine delicacy鈥� that marries meat scraps and cornmeal in a loaf to eat or, better yet, use for arts and crafts.     Lipstick on a water buffalo: For the bovine enthusiast, a Chonburi, Thailand, festival to the humble, and probably unsuspecting, . Yes, that is its official scientific name.    Posthume drama: Everyone except Jane Austen herself seemed to descend on Bath, England, many in costume, to celebrate the . Being honored with a 10-day, 2,000-guest extravaganza sounds 鈥� exhausting. Fortunately for Austen, she is already asleep.    QUICK HITS Proposed UK cuts to global aid fund could lead to 300,000 preventable deaths, say charities 鈥�     'I can't afford to save both twins': Sudan's war left one mother with an impossible choice 鈥�     Study finds no link between mRNA COVID vaccines early in pregnancy and birth defects 鈥�     Nearly 70% of U.S. adults considered obese under new definition, study finds 鈥�     California to ban ultra processed foods from school meals 鈥�     Tiny brain nanotubes found by Johns Hopkins may spread Alzheimer鈥檚 鈥�     Did lead poisoning doom Neanderthals? 鈥�    Issue No. 2806
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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Amid the destruction of the Second World War, nations responded to the danger of hunger and malnutrition by creating the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on 16 October 1945. The UN agency celebrates this achievement as World Food Day every year on its birthday, recognizing the work of all those who are committed to ensuring food for everyone. We鈥檒l be bringing you the highlights live from FAO throughout the day. UN News app users can follow coverage here.

96 Global Health NOW: Demanding Justice for Health Workers; Rehabilitation: The Forgotten Frontline; and Triple Triumph in the Maldives October 15, 2025 A portrait of Viktoriia, a nurse who was injured on July 8, 2024, when a Russian missile struck the Ohmatdyt National Children's Hospital where she worked. Lviv, Ukraine, September 28, 2024. Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Demanding Justice for Health Workers    U.K. medical leaders are urging the government to back International Criminal Court prosecutions for war crimes targeting health workers, patients, and medical facilities.    comes in the wake of that details the rising incidence of violence against health workers, and the 鈥渄eep and lasting scars鈥� left on communities through such brazen attacks, as described by nurses working under threat in Afghanistan, Burma, Gaza, and Lebanon.  

• 鈥淲hat is the point of international law if they murder our colleagues and don鈥檛 face consequences?鈥� asked one senior nurse quoted in the report.  

Key details of the report:  

• Killings of health workers spiked 5X over a decade, from 175 in 2016 to 932 in 2024, driven by conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine, Lebanon, and Sudan. 1,200+ attacks have been reported this year. 

• Working under intimidation from family members and authorities has become common in places like Afghanistan.  

• Health infrastructure collapse and severe shortages hinder the ability to provide basic care.  

A need for action: Along with calling for international partners to investigate and prosecute health law violations, nursing leaders are also calling for restored foreign aid for health systems.  
    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Cannabis use and addiction have been associated with genes also linked to bipolar disorder, obesity, and other traits, ; while the findings may one day lead to treatments for cannabis use disorder, researchers caution that clinical application is years away.     The Sudanese city of El Fasher has been declared 鈥渦ninhabitable,鈥� 鈥攚hich described tens of thousands of people trapped inside 鈥減ushed to the edge of survival鈥� as they face severe malnourishment, total destruction of infrastructure, and a cutoff from humanitarian aid amid ongoing artillery and drone attacks.     120+ people have been hospitalized in Gabes, Tunisia, for respiratory distress related to fumes from a nearby chemical factory that residents say is emitting toxic fumes.      Safety of children鈥檚 toys will be more closely regulated by the EU, which will now require all toys sold online to include a 鈥渄igital product passport鈥� that will allow consumers and regulators to check each toy鈥檚 compliance with EU laws.   GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY A member of China Search and Rescue Team provides medical consultations for local residents in Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar), April 5. Cai Yang/Xinhua via Getty Rehabilitation: The Forgotten Frontline     Following a disaster, like the March 28 earthquake that shook the Sagaing region in Burma (Myanmar), rehabilitation services are often an afterthought鈥攂ut they should be introduced far earlier in the response, , a physiotherapy student at Gulf Medical University, UAE.  
  鈥淭hese are not optional extras; they are medically proven, evidence-based interventions,鈥� writes Ijaz. For many survivors, the real challenge begins after surgery, she notes: Without the aid of early rehabilitation, they face a greater risk of long-term disability, pain, and, critically, the loss of independence. 
  Yet rehabilitation is one of the most overlooked elements of disaster response. Despite international guidelines confirming the need for early introduction鈥攊deally within the first few days鈥斺�渆arly rehab is still seen as optional or secondary and is systemically excluded from emergency response plans,鈥� Ijaz says. 
  Success stories: Examples that could serve as models include the ICRC鈥檚 deployment of rehabilitation professionals within weeks following the 2020 Beirut Port blast in Lebanon, and the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee鈥檚 efforts following the August earthquake in Afghanistan.   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH Triple Triumph in the Maldives    
The Maldives has officially become the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of three diseases: hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis.    Recipe for success: 

• 95% of pregnant women receive antenatal care.  

• 95% of newborns receive hepatitis B vaccinations on time.  

• Free antenatal care, vaccines, and diagnostic services鈥攊ncluding testing for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B鈥攁re included in the Maldives鈥� universal health coverage. 

A model to follow: Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis still affects millions worldwide. But the Maldives elimination efforts are a strong example of elimination strategies for others moving forward.        EVENT A Call to Action for Youth Mental Health     Join the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Mental Health for A Call to Action for Youth Mental Health, a hybrid convening to mark the U.S. launch of the Second Lancet Commission Report, spotlighting the urgent need to address the global adolescent mental health crisis.     This gathering will bring together young people, researchers, and decision-makers to develop an agenda of actionable change for adolescent mental health in the U.S. while highlighting lessons from the Global North and South. 

• October 27鈥�28 at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in D.C.
•   (A detailed agenda and logistics information will follow upon confirmation)
•  

QUICK HITS They Fought Outbreaks Worldwide. Now They鈥檙e Fighting for New Lives. 鈥�     Scientists lose jobs and grants as US government shutdown takes a toll 鈥�   
  Health of world's forests at 'dismal' levels, causing threat to humanity, report warns 鈥�     This Nobel Peace Prize front-runner didn't win 鈥� but did get the 'alternative Nobel' 鈥�     On the Front Line of the Fluoride Wars, Debate Over Drinking Water Treatment Turns Raucous 鈥�     Shamans openly using psychedelic drugs for treatment in South Africa 鈥�     Microplastics are everywhere. You can do one simple thing to avoid them. 鈥�      Ditch 鈥榮hrink it and pink it鈥� women鈥檚 trainer design, say experts 鈥�   Issue No. 2805
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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Over 212,000 Afghan children are now at risk of acute watery diarrhoea and other deadly waterborne diseases, according to the UN Children鈥檚 Fund (UNICEF).

96 Global Health NOW: ICE Hinders U.S. Care; A WWII 鈥楪host Fleet鈥� Poses a Current Threat; and Reporting Beyond the Crash October 14, 2025 People rally outside Glendale Memorial Hospital during the "Good Trouble Lives On" vigils for civil rights icon John Lewis. July 17, Glendale, California. David McNew/Getty ICE Hinders U.S. Care     The latest stressor for overburdened U.S. nurses and other health workers: Masked, armed ICE agents in hospitals.      Health workers have reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have interfered with care for some patients, including ICE detainees, .     On their own: Nurses and doctors are unsure how to protect patients because of a lack of direction from hospitals. 

• But some health workers have erased white boards that list patient names and hidden medical records.  

Recent examples of ICE interference:

• ICE agents have refused to step away from confidential medical conversations between detainees and health care providers. 

• Los Angeles doctors said they can鈥檛 do follow-up care for patients taken to an ICE processing facility, . 

• ICE agents also prevented an emergency nurse from assessing the health of a screaming detainee, . 

Aren鈥檛 hospitals safe havens? No,  a Biden-era 鈥渟ensitive locations鈥� policy that banned immigration enforcement in hospitals, schools, and churches, per Axios.     The Quote: 鈥淲e have an ethical and moral duty to provide excellent medical care and to serve the patient鈥檚 interest,鈥� an LA doctor told LAist, but armed agents鈥� presence in the hospital has made it 鈥渧ery difficult to do that.鈥�     Related:     Know Your Rights: Immigrant Safety in Hospitals and Clinics 鈥�      Health Care Providers and Immigration Enforcement: Know Your Rights, Know Your Patients鈥� Rights 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Heavy flooding that swept across Mexico鈥檚 Gulf Coast and central states last week killed 64 people; dozens more are missing and 100,000+ homes were destroyed as the government faces criticism over response time and failure to issue alerts or order evacuations.     Aging men鈥檚 brains shrink more quickly than those of aging women鈥檚, per published in PNAS yesterday; the finding indicates women鈥檚 brains age more slowly than men鈥檚, but it doesn鈥檛 explain why Alzheimer鈥檚 is more common in women.    
   Middle-aged people who stop smoking can effectively erase the habit鈥檚 negative impact on cognitive skills such that, after 10 years, they have the same risk for dementia as those who never smoked, per a study involving 9,436 people published in yesterday.     The WHO and partners launched an upgraded version of its public health intelligence system to aid early detection of public health threats; the 2.0 Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system incorporates new data sources and AI functionalities and is offered as a public good, free of charge to member states and eligible organizations.   DATA POINT

680,000
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Children in Haiti uprooted from their homes by violence鈥攁 doubling over last year鈥檚 figures. 鈥�
  POLLUTION A WWII 鈥楪host Fleet鈥� Poses a Current Threat    Oil leaking from a World War II-era Japanese warship poses a growing environmental risk in waters off Micronesia鈥攁nd officials worry it鈥檚 just the start of a burgeoning crisis with historical origins.     The Rio de Janeiro Maru, which sank in the Chuuk Lagoon in 1944, began to leak last month, initially releasing ~4,000 liters of oil per day. 

• Fishing鈥攁 critical source of food and income鈥攈as been halted in the region, with residents warned not to consume affected food or water. 

鈥淭icking time bombs鈥�: The 60+ WWII wrecks remaining in the lagoon contain ~39.5 million liters of oil and toxins, and their containment tanks are expected to begin failing within five years without urgent international intervention, say local officials. 
    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ROAD SAFETY Reporting Beyond the Crash    Africa is home to the world鈥檚 highest road fatality rates.    But news articles about crashes across the continent all too often miss the big picture鈥攂laming victims鈥� actions and failing to account for unsafe infrastructure, weak laws, and other factors that contribute to preventable deaths.     Shifting framework: That problematic pattern, of ~1,000 news reports in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania, is driving to report on crashes as a public health crisis rather than isolated accidents.      A new narrative: So far, ~5,000 journalists have been trained worldwide in solutions-based reporting, leading to more expansive stories, investigations, and documentaries.     (commentary)  OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Africa: Beyond Malaria - Uncovering the Overlapping Crisis of Long Covid in Ethiopia and Uganda 鈥�  

Torture, blackmail, extortion: the dangers of queer online dating in Ghana 鈥�  

Africa鈥檚 floods and droughts are messing with our minds. Researchers are trying to figure out how 鈥�   
  Lessons from Peru: what Australia can learn about the growing risk of dengue fever 鈥�     Innovation in medicines for global health: a 20-year landscape analysis 鈥�   
HEPA purifiers not tied to less viral exposure in elementary classrooms, analysis finds 鈥�     Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows 鈥�      What the Anti-Sunscreen Movement Misses 鈥�   Issue No. 2804
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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


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A 黑料社-led clinical trial is the first in humans to show online brain training exercises can improve brain networks affecting learning and memory.

The study found 10 weeks鈥� use of the game-like app BrainHQ by older adults enhanced cholinergic function, a chemical system in the brain that typically declines with age and influences attention, memory and decision-making.

Countries must scale up investment and care to treat neurological disorders, responsible for over 11 million deaths each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. 

96 Global Health NOW: Post-Pandemic Picture of Health; 鈥楲owest Layer of Hell鈥� for Burmese Refugees; and Superbugs Stalk Ukraine鈥檚 Hospitals 鈥淎n emerging crisis鈥� of youth deaths. October 13, 2025 A view of the "Silent Struggle" statue, an art project by artist Sazza created to break the taboo surrounding suicide, decorated with photos and candles, in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, on November 4, 2024. Ana Fernandez/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty A Post-Pandemic Picture of Health    The top causes of mortality around the world are shifting away from COVID-19 and back to increasingly urgent noncommunicable threats like heart disease, and in Berlin鈥攖he first snapshot of global health since the height of the pandemic, .     Highlights of the 2023 report, drawing from 300,000+ data sources across 204 countries, include:     Chronic conditions on top: Heart disease is once again the world鈥檚 leading cause of death, eclipsing COVID-19, which fell from 1st in 2021 to 20th in 2023.  

• Other NCDs like stroke, diabetes, and COPD now account for two-thirds of global deaths and disability, while deaths from infectious disease continue to decline.  

Rising youth mortality: The world faces 鈥渁n emerging crisis鈥� of rising deaths among teenagers and young adults, . 

• In North America and parts of Latin America, deaths from suicide, drug overdoses, and alcohol use are on the rise among people ages 20鈥�39.  

Global life expectancy rates have also recovered from the pandemic dip鈥攂ut stark disparities remain, with life expectancy ranging from 83 years in high-income regions to 62 years in sub-Saharan Africa, .  

• That gap is 鈥渟ure to widen鈥� with international aid cuts this year, warned senior author Emmanuela Gakidou. 

Preventable loss: Nearly half of all global death and disability is linked to modifiable risk factors like high blood sugar, poor diet, and smoking.                                                                                          GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
Rift Valley Fever has killed 17 in Senegal in an outbreak that has led to 119 cases in the country鈥檚 northern livestock-producing region, per the nation鈥檚 health ministry.     Antibiotic resistance is increasing sharply among common hospital infections, , which found that 40%+ of antibiotics lost potency against infections between 2018 and 2023, and 1 in 6 bacterial infections were resistant to antibiotic treatments in 2023.

Overdose deaths among adults 65+ from fentanyl mixed with stimulants surged 9,000% from 2015 to 2023, according to findings presented at the Anesthesiology 2025 annual meeting; the research used CDC data to reveal the trend among older adults, who are often left out of overdose analyses.     ~600 U.S. CDC workers have been terminated as part of the Trump administration's mass layoffs of federal agency workers; while the administration rescinded more than half of ~1,300 termination notices it originally sent Friday, upheaval at the agency is ongoing.   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES REFUGEES Aid Cuts Deepen the 鈥楲owest Layer of Hell鈥� in Burma    Burmese families that have endured years of conflict and displacement now face even more acute suffering after U.S. aid cuts deprive them of essential food and medical aid. 

• 鈥淲e are in the lowest layer of hell already,鈥� said an advocate with one shuttered aid group.  

• Now, increasingly desperate refugees along the Thailand-Burma border are forced to scour jungles and rivers for even menial sources of sustenance. 

Vast need: The UN estimates ~40% of Burma鈥檚 population now requires humanitarian aid, with children especially vulnerable to malnutrition and starvation.     Void left behind: The U.S. was once the largest aid donor to this population before the abrupt cuts. Aid groups are now seeking new lines of support, with little traction.       OPPORTUNITY ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE The Superbugs Stalking Ukraine鈥檚 Hospitals    Drug-resistant infections are surging among Ukraine鈥檚 wounded and spreading beyond hospitals into the general population as overwhelmed trauma wards, poor infection control, and misguided antibiotic use fuel spread. 
  Especially notorious: Klebsiella pneumoniae, a once-rare bacterium, is now the 鈥渟ignature pathogen鈥� of the war, and an often-untreatable threat.     New tactics: Doctors have been deploying a range of new strategies against the superbugs, including doubling up on antibiotic regimens, using faster genetic testing to ID strains, and improving antibiotic stewardship.     Stemming from the start: A new pilot program aims to treat battlefield wounds like bioweapon exposure, using hazmat gear and improved antiseptics to prevent infections.  

• 鈥淲e can鈥檛 afford to lose more limbs and more lives,鈥� said Hailie Uren, a clinician who led antimicrobial resistance efforts in Lviv. 

   QUICK HITS Germany announces billion-euro investment to fight AIDS and malaria 鈥�  
Why Fiji has the world's fastest growing HIV epidemic 鈥�     A brain test may predict antidepressant-related sexual problems, early research suggests 鈥�      In Kenya, a search for links between a changing climate and mental health 鈥�      Bangladesh launches typhoid vaccination drive to combat drug-resistant threat 鈥�     Maryland failed to document many deaths from suspected child abuse or neglect 鈥�     Post-monsoon dengue outbreak risk high: Experts 鈥�      Your nose gets colder when you're stressed. These thermal images show the change 鈥�    Issue No. 2803
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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

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


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Common infections are becoming harder 鈥� and sometimes impossible 鈥� to treat, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday, as new data show that one in six bacterial infections globally are resistant to standard antibiotics, endangering millions and straining health systems worldwide.

For millions of persons living with disabilities worldwide, artificial intelligence could be a game changer. At Purple Fest in Goa, India, entrepreneurs are showing how AI is turning assistive technology into everyday empowerment.

黑料社 team develops hydrogel that outlasted current treatments in a preclinical study, a step toward reducing the need for repeat procedures

黑料社 researchers have engineered a new hydrogel that shows early promise as a treatment for people with vocal cord injuries.

Voice loss is often permanent when scarring forms on the vocal cords. Current injectable treatments break down quickly, which can force patients to get repeated procedures that can further damage the delicate tissue.

黑料社 team develops hydrogel that outlasted current treatments in a preclinical study, a step toward reducing the need for repeat procedures

黑料社 researchers have engineered a new hydrogel that shows early promise as a treatment for people with vocal cord injuries.

Voice loss is often permanent when scarring forms on the vocal cords. Current injectable treatments break down quickly, which can force patients to get repeated procedures that can further damage the delicate tissue.

Thirty-two 黑料社 research projects have received new funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation's for investments in research infrastructure to support their innovative projects, for a total federal investment of $9.7 million.听听听

Thirty-two 黑料社 research projects have received new funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation's for investments in research infrastructure to support their innovative projects, for a total federal investment of $9.7 million.听听听

黑料社 researchers have engineered a new hydrogel that shows early promise as a treatment for people with vocal cord injuries.

Voice loss is often permanent when scarring forms on the vocal cords. Current injectable treatments break down quickly, which can force patients to get repeated procedures that can further damage the delicate tissue.

黑料社 researchers have engineered a new hydrogel that shows early promise as a treatment for people with vocal cord injuries.

Voice loss is often permanent when scarring forms on the vocal cords. Current injectable treatments break down quickly, which can force patients to get repeated procedures that can further damage the delicate tissue.

One in 10 doctors and nurses in Europe experience suicidal thoughts, a new survey carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe has revealed.

96 Global Health NOW: In Gaza, Fragile Hope for Peace Amid Deepened Devastation; Toxic Textile Recycling; and Egyptian Strongman in Ship Shape 鈥淲hen the fighting stops, a new struggle will begin": WHO October 9, 2025 Palestinians gather outside Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital on October 9 to celebrate the announcement of a ceasefire agreement expected to take effect soon, in Gaza City, Gaza. Hamza Z. H. Qraiqea/Anadolu via Getty Images Fragile Hope for Peace Amid Deepened Devastation     Israel and Hamas are inching toward a deal that could end two years of war, raising fragile hopes for an imminent ceasefire鈥攁nd relief for both Israeli hostage families and 2 million Gaza civilians living in dire humanitarian conditions.     But even as hopes build, the health crisis for Gazans amid two years of relentless war continues to deepen, adding urgency to the already-daunting path toward recovery.  
  Acute malnourishment: 54,600+ children in Gaza are acutely malnourished鈥�12,800 severely so, ; and ~16% of preschool-age children are suffering from life-threatening wasting, .  
  Shattered health system: Rebuilding Gaza鈥檚 decimated health system will be critical to lasting stability and peace, , as Gaza鈥檚 health services are near total collapse. Rebuilding will cost $7 billion+, per WHO estimates.  

• 鈥淲hen the fighting stops, a new struggle will begin鈥攖o rebuild Gaza鈥檚 health system and rescue an entire population from the edge of famine and despair,鈥� said Hanan Balkhy, WHO Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.  

• Only 14 of 36 hospitals are partially functioning, , even as a 鈥渃onstant stream of trauma patients鈥� seek help in Gaza City.  

Aid still lacking: Despite famine declarations, essential aid including food and medicine, and critical medical supplies remain scarce, , describing 鈥渢hree premature babies on a bed sharing oxygen鈥� due to a lack of incubators.     What鈥檚 next: With talks ongoing, the UN has said it is poised to deliver aid to Gaza as soon as possible, .   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
Drinking even a single diet beverage a day may up the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) by 60%, while consuming a sugary beverage could increase the risk by 50%, of 123,788 people without baseline liver disease; the research, not yet peer-reviewed or published, was presented at the United European Gastroenterology Week conference in Berlin Monday.  

The Ebola outbreak in southern DRC is starting to be contained, the WHO said yesterday, with no new cases reported in 10 days; as of October 5, the total case count was 64 (53 confirmed, 11 probable) and 43 deaths (32 confirmed,11 probable).     59% of Americans surveyed disapproved of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.鈥檚 job performance as HHS secretary, according to ; but Republicans surveyed reported they trusted RFK Jr. as much as their own health care provider.     Scientists in Japan have identified a potential biological cause of long COVID-19 brain fog; the that people with the condition experience widespread increases in activity related to AMPA receptors, a type of molecule crucial for learning and memory. MALARIA Lessons from Suriname鈥檚 Success  
Twenty-five years ago, Suriname had the highest malaria transmission rates in the Americas. This summer, it was the first Amazon nation , thanks to innovative measures that could be a model for neighboring countries, say epidemiologists.     Community-based approach: Suriname embraced a strategy that put rapid testing, treatment, and training in the hands of local communities in remote areas.    Targeting the marginalized: Health workers also created a treatment model for transient gold miners working illegally in the rainforest, who are especially susceptible to malaria.  

• The Malakit Project distributed self-testing and treatment kits directly to miners鈥攃ontributing to a 43% reduction in malaria cases between 2018 and 2020.  

鈥淚t鈥檚 about how we treat these vulnerable, often invisible populations,鈥� said Patricia Sanchez with the UN Foundation.      GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH The Toxicity of Textile Recycling    Panipat, India, is gaining global prominence as a hub of textile recycling, where factories process ~1 million tons of international textile waste annually, shredding old fabrics and spinning them into new fiber.  
But the lack of both labor and environmental protections has led to mounting health problems and water pollution.    Health crises: Doctors in Panipat report high rates of lung disease, skin conditions, and cancer linked to continuous inhalation of lint and dust containing microfibers and microplastics. 

• The factories often lack basic protections like adequate ventilation and protective masks.  

Environmental fallout: Hundreds of bleaching and dyeing facilities, many unregulated, discharge toxic wastewater into the ground, contaminating local water sources.       ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION An Egyptian Strongman in Ship Shape
Pulling a locomotive and a truck wasn鈥檛 enough to convince the Egyptian wrestler Ashraf Mahrous鈥攁ka Kabonga鈥攖hat he was the world鈥檚 strongest man.  

• So, seeking a Guinness world record, he鈥檚 now pulled a 700-ton ship with only the rope clenched between his teeth. 

Why? While Kabonga grew up hauling his friends around for fun, it was when they saw him 鈥減ush a car using only a finger鈥� that they encouraged him to get serious, .  
Today, he trains daily at a Cairo gym and puts away at least a dozen eggs, two whole chickens, and 11 pounds of fish. Impressive鈥攂ut we鈥檙e convinced his success hinges not just on strength, but on mind games: 鈥淚 spoke to [the ship], saying 鈥業t's either me or you today.鈥欌��  
His next goal: pulling a plane with his eyelid muscles. QUICK HITS Indian police arrest owner of cough syrup company linked to deaths of 17 children 鈥�      Do young people need Covid boosters? Research shows more protection for ages 65 and older 鈥�
  Pharmacies facing angry patients over Covid jab confusion 鈥�     Pig liver transplant into a living person edges it closer to the norm 鈥�      Measles warning in WA's Pilbara as confirmed cases rise 鈥�       In Paul Farmer鈥檚 Beautiful Garden of Global Health Equity: Reflections on the Third Remembrance of His Passing 鈥�   Issue No. 2802
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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


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People in Ukraine who have suffered mental stress as a result of the war which continues in their country have found a space to heal in neighbouring Moldova.

96 Global Health NOW: Revised Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines; Conscripting Chatbots in the HIV Fight; and Pets as Heralds of Chemical Exposures October 8, 2025 Ruth Jones, an immunization nurse, holds a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Borinquen Health Care Center. Miami, Florida, May 29. Joe Raedle/Getty Revised Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines
   COVID-19 vaccine guidance in the U.S. is finally becoming clearer after months of confusion, .     Who is eligible? The CDC now recommends updated COVID-19 shots for everyone 6 months+, expanding on the FDA鈥檚 narrower recommendations in August.  

• The CDC says everyone seeking a shot should first have a conversation with a health care professional about risks and benefits.  

• But prescriptions or even a doctor鈥檚 appointment aren鈥檛 required; pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are allowing self-attestation of eligibility.  

What about children? The new requirement could prove more challenging for parents seeking to vaccinate their children, .  

• Children鈥檚 shots are typically administered in doctors鈥� offices, which may not be consistently stocked, especially after the delayed guidance.   

• Major pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS typically offer vaccines only to children older than a set threshold like 3 years, 5, or higher, depending on the state.  

Does insurance cover the shot? All major insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare, will cover the shots. The Vaccines for Children program, which provides vaccines to 40% of U.S. children, has begun shipping doses.     Meanwhile, in England, criteria have been limited this year so that only those age 75+, and younger patients with weakened immune systems are being offered free boosters, . 

• Between a third and a half of people who arrive for vaccination appointments are being turned away, leading to angry outbursts, report pharmacists. 

Related: Acting CDC director says to break up MMR shot 鈥�   DATA POINT

90,000
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Additional microplastic particles ingested each year by bottled water drinkers, compared with tap water drinkers. 鈥�
  The Latest One-Liners   200+ health facilities in eastern DRC have exhausted their supplies due to conflict-related looting, disruptions, and humanitarian funding declines, the ICRC reports today; in a survey last month, 85% of facilities reported medicine shortages, and 40% reported staffing shortages.  
  Nearly 28,000 injuries on the job in the U.S. each year are linked to hot weather, led by George Washington University and Harvard researchers that indicated that workers in states with workplace heat exposure standards had a lower risk of injury on hot days.     A taste-based flu test has been developed by researchers who chemically engineered a sensor that reacts to viral activity in a patient's saliva and releases a tasteable reporter upon detection, ; however, additional clinical studies with direct human testing are needed.     The U.S.鈥檚 federal organ transplant network has been ordered to stop some monitoring of transplant and donation outcomes amid the government shutdown, and ~25% of the staff of the nonprofit United Network for Organ Sharing, contracted by the government to manage most network functions, have been furloughed.   HIV/AIDS Conscripting Chatbots in the HIV Fight     In South Africa, the rollout next year of the injectable anti-HIV drug lenacapavir has the potential to dramatically reduce the virus鈥檚 transmission鈥攂ut only if millions of people take it.  

• Convincing them to do so will involve a concerted push from doctors, nurses 鈥� and AI chatbots.  

AI ally: The country鈥檚 health department has endorsed a new chatbot, Self-Cav, a WhatsApp-based AI system devoted to helping young South Africans navigate questions about HIV, sex, and other health topics.     Target demographic: Health advocates are especially trying to reach young women ages 15鈥�24, who account for ~40% of new HIV infections despite making up just 8% of the population. 
    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Pets as Heralds of Chemical Exposures    Understanding how pollution affects pets could yield insights that improve both animal and human health, researchers say.  

• Because pets share our air, water, and homes but live shorter lives, typically in one location, they may help scientists trace environmental risks more clearly. 

One example: Lead-screening clinics for local dogs, in Flint, Michigan, identified several animals, all living in the same household, whose results were of 鈥渆xtreme concern.鈥� Officials subsequently found that the lead level of the home鈥檚 drinking water posed a clear danger to both people and animals.    Because they spend a lot of time on the ground, dogs and cats could be at elevated risk from other chemical contaminants鈥攎aking them especially good 鈥渟entinel species.鈥�  
    OPPORTUNITY Stanford Global and Planetary Health Research Convening     The will be held in-person on January 28, 2026, at Stanford University鈥攂ringing together students, faculty, staff, and researchers working in global and planetary health from Stanford and beyond. There will be no virtual option to attend.      This year鈥檚 theme, Reimagining Global and Planetary Health, explores potential solutions and strategies to help address global and planetary health challenges and build resilience; researchers are invited to submit abstracts to be considered for presentation.  

• Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 9 a.m.鈥�3 p.m. PT at the , Stanford University 
•  
•  

QUICK HITS Darfur: ICC convicts Janjaweed leader of war crimes and crimes against humanity 鈥�     Trump slashed funding for universities that helped create these vital drugs 鈥�     Past surgeons general warn HHS Secretary Kennedy must go 鈥�     The rise of 鈥榥ightmare bacteria鈥�: antimicrobial resistance in five charts 鈥�     Public Health Response to the First Locally Acquired Malaria Outbreaks in the US in 20 Years 鈥�     Promise and gaps in America First strategy for global health 鈥�      Lessons from a historic quest to heal spider bites are helping to fight neglected tropical diseases today 鈥�     Podcast: How to Cover Science Under Trump 鈥� Issue No. 2801
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

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

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



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


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