UN Aid Cuts Force ‘Hyper-prioritizedʼ Plan; Deaths on the Street in Portland; and Memory Cafes Bridge a Gap
The UN has slashed its 2025 humanitarian aid appeal from $44 billion to $29 billion, as the agency contends with what it described as the “deepest funding cuts ever” to the aid sector, reports Al Jazeera.
Only $5.6 billion (13%) has been raised so far after severely reduced contributions from the U.S. and others.
- “Brutal funding cuts leave us with brutal choices,” said Tom Fletcher, undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs.
Existing aid under attack: Meanwhile, a UN expert is urging the General Assembly to authorize the deployment of armed peacekeepers to protect humanitarian transport and distribution, as aid workers continue to be targeted in areas including Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and Central African Republic, reports The Guardian.
- A record 360+ humanitarian workers were killed last year, as aid restrictions and starvation are increasingly used as weapons of war.
COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 could now make up more than 1 in 3 cases across the U.S., the CDC projected last week; the variant has been linked to a surge of hospitalizations in parts of Asia, and the CDC's airport surveillance program detected cases of it in arriving international travelers last month. CBS News
The U.S. health care workforce has recovered from widespread job losses of early 2020, with employment now matching pre-pandemic projections, finds new research published in JAMA Network; but recovery is uneven, with doctors’ offices exceeding pre-pandemic employment growth while skilled nursing facilities contend with understaffing. University of Michigan via News Medical
Dengue survivors face an elevated risk for post-infection multi-organ complications, hospitalization, and death, finds a study published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection that analyzed 55,870 cases of adults infected between 2017 and 2023. CIDRAP
The FDA has expanded approval of Moderna’s RSV vaccine mResvia to include adults ages 18–59 who are at high risk of severe illness from the virus; previously the vaccine was licensed for use only in adults 60+. STAT HOMELESSNESS Increased Deaths on the Street in Portland
As the homeless population in Portland grew during the pandemic, the city responded with a $1.3 million plan to “reprioritize public health and safety among homeless Portlanders.”
- And yet: Deaths of homeless people quadrupled from 113 in 2019 to 450+ in 2023.
- One 2023 study published in JAMA showed that such sweeps raise the risk of overdose by up to 22% for people who inject drugs.
Across the U.S., 600+ memory cafes offer low-cost social support for dementia patients and caregivers, helping alleviate isolation and stress through regular gatherings.
And with $11 billion in federal health funding for state and local health departments now on the chopping block, grassroots-led memory cafes may soon play a critical role for families needing help navigating the struggles of dementia care.
Growing need: U.S. Alzheimer’s cases are projected to double from 6.9 million now to 13.8 million by 2060, while the number of family caregivers is declining.
KFF Health News SUICIDE Curbing Pesticides to Save Lives
Suriname has one of the world's highest suicide rates, largely due to the pesticide paraquat—which is lethal even in tiny doses and is widely available in homes across the country.
Global perspective: Pesticides are one of the leading means of suicide in agricultural areas of developing nations, leading to 100,000+ suicides annually.
Banning paraquat and other pesticides has led to dramatic drops in suicide rates in other countries including Sri Lanka (70%+), South Korea (~50%), and China (60%).
Ongoing efforts: The charity Open Philanthropy funded the launch in 2017 of the Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention, and the Global Alliance on Highly Hazardous Pesticides was formed in 2023 to phase out use of the deadliest pesticides in agricultural areas where risks have not been managed.
The New York Times (gift link) QUICK HITS As mpox escalates in Sierra Leone, activity in other countries reflects mixed picture – CIDRAP
An oral cholera vaccination campaign aims to reach more than 2.6 million people in Sudan’s Khartoum State – WHO
US pharma bets big on China to snap up potential blockbuster drugs – Reuters
Small towns are growing fast across Ghana – but environmental planning isn’t keeping up – The Conversation (commentary)
Ancient miasma theory may help explain Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine moves – NPR Shots
How Covid-19 Changed Hideo Kojima’s Vision For Death Stranding 2 – WIRED Issue No. 2742
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.
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Without urgent funding, global hunger hotspots are set to grow, UN warns
World News in Brief: Rights abuses in Haiti, Sudan war sees exodus to Chad, food trade optimism
Global Health NOW Mercury Rising in Worldʼs Rivers; RFK Jr.’s New Committee Picks; and Who Squashed the Veg Sculpture Competition?
Mercury carried downstream by rivers has increased nearly 3X worldwide since the Industrial Revolution, surging from 390 to 1,000 megagrams annually due to coal combustion, mining, and manufacturing, finds a new study published in Science Advances.
The mercury increase poses a growing risk to people living near affected waterways, as the neurotoxin has been linked to cancer, heart disease, and developmental harm in children, reports ABC News.
The study: Researchers used computer models and sediment data to establish a pre-industrial mercury baseline before 1850 and simulate mercury transport in rivers, per Phys.org.
Key findings: The data show the most dramatic increases in mercury pollution occurred in North and South America, contributing to 41% of the global increase in riverine mercury since 1850, followed by Southeast Asia (22%) and South Asia (19%).
- In the Amazon region, mercury levels have soared due to both increased mining activities and soil erosion from deforestation.
Last month was the world’s second warmest May on record, per the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service—creating especially dry conditions across Europe as drought concerns rise. Euronews
Unethical experiments conducted on Black inmates were used in the development of the antimalarial primaquine in the 1950s and 60s, particularly around genetics’ role in adverse drug reactions, finds a historical report published in JAMA Network by an ethicist-led research team. Science
A bill to protect the privacy of women’s reproductive health data, including tracking apps around menstruation, pregnancy, and abortion, has been introduced by three Democratic members of Congress who say such a measure is necessary to protect women in the post-Roe v. Wade era. The Guardian
Fetuses more exposed to certain air pollutants experience changes in the size of specific brain structures, especially during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, finds a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health that drew from data collected from 754 mother-fetus pairs between 2018 and 2021. News Medical U.S. POLICY RFK Jr.’s New Committee Picks
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed eight new members to the CDC’s independent vaccine advisory committee after removing all 17 previous members earlier this week.
- The new appointees to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) include some who have been critics of vaccines—especially COVID-19 vaccines and mRNA technology—and pandemic lockdowns.
What’s next: It is unclear if Kennedy plans to appoint any more members to new ACIP. The panel will meet June 25-27 to review recommendations on vaccines, including for HPV and COVID-19 shots.
ABC News
More U.S. Policy News:
Kennedy’s ouster of US vaccine advisors puts pharma ties under scrutiny – Reuters
Vaccine board purge stokes talk of CDC alternatives – Axios
Top RFK Jr. aide attacks US health system while running company that promotes wellness alternatives – AP
RFK Jr. to tell medical schools to teach nutrition or lose federal funding – ABC
A promising new HIV vaccine was set to start trials. Then came Trump's latest cuts – NPR Goats and Soda
Senators press NIH director on killed grants and proposal to slash agency’s funding – Science GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES WEAPONS The Physical Toll of ‘Less-Lethal’ Force
Tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray like those used against demonstrators in Los Angeles this past week may not be designed to kill, but they can cause serious injuries, health problems, and even death.
Tear gas and pepper spray can have both short- and long-term effects, ranging from eye and skin irritation and vomiting to extreme respiratory distress and damage to vision or the nervous system.
Rubber bullet risks: Often made of hard plastic or metal, rubber bullets have caused blindness, brain injury, and death in some cases.
Research gaps: Much existing research into tactics like tear gas is limited to military research of young men in the 1950s-70s, and doesn’t account for modern weapons technology or potential health effects on a broader civilian population.
WIRED ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Who Squashed the Competition?
Last week we celebrated a wax sausage roll at Madame Tussauds.
Now, another installment of England-making-things-look-like-other-things: a cornucopia of vegetable likenesses.
At the Lambeth Country Show, held last weekend in Londonʼs Brockwell Park, revelers braved the inevitable English rain to enjoy sheep shearing, livestock competitions, and most of all: vegetable sculptures and vegetable puns.
“Every year, this is what we get so excited about,” attendee Maddy Luxton told the AP.
Voting is now closed, but you can still pick your favorite.
Will it be Cornclave? Or its Vatican-themed rival, Popetayto Francis and the Conclabbage? Butternut squash channeling Wallace and Gromit? Cauli Parton starring in 9 to Chive? Broccoli-based commentary on niche local politics?
All are healthy choices. QUICK HITS Scientists mapped what happens if a crucial system of ocean currents collapses. The weather impact would be extreme – CNN
Global action needed as progress stalls on disability-inclusive development goals – UN News – UN News
Journalist, advocate, policy adviser? My strange role in the fight against superbugs – The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
As a health crisis looms in Vietnam, now is the time for a sugary drink tax: WHO – Asia News Network
36% of Jamaicans tested for NCDs in health ministry campaign present ‘abnormal result’ – Jamaica Observer
World Food Safety Day : Putting Science into Action to Improve Nutrition and Protect Health in Africa – ReliefWeb
Homicide Rates Near Supervised Consumption Sites: A Study from Canada – Think Global Health (commentary)
Word of the Week: how a bacterium unrelated to fish got its name 'salmonella' – NPR Issue No. 2740
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.
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World News in Brief: ‘Indifference and impunity’ in Sudan, ICC judges speak out against sanctions, respiratory diseases overlooked in Europe
Famine stalks two counties in South Sudan as fragile peace is threatened
Global Health NOW: Declining ‘Reproductive Agency’ and Fertility Rates; Rescripting Traumatic Memories; Meth Smuggling in the Golden Triangle
The “unprecedented” drop in global fertility stems from social and economic barriers—not a rejection of parenthood—finds the new State of the World Population 2025 report from the UN Population Fund.
Key finding: 1 in 5 adults say they expect to have fewer children than they want due to financial barriers and insecurity about the future.
- “The issue is lack of choice, not desire,” UNFPA head Natalia Kanem told The Guardian.
Key factors preventing people from starting families, per UN News:
- Economic insecurity: 39% of respondents cited financial limitations including high housing and childcare costs as the main reason for having fewer children.
- Fear for the future: 19% cited worries around climate change and conflict.
- Gender and labor dynamics: 13% of women cited unequal division of labor as a barrier to having children.
Related:
China to make all hospitals offer epidurals to incentivise childbirth – Reuters
Advocates, Clinics Anxiously Ask: When Will Trump Release IVF Recommendations? – U.S. News & World Report GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Louisiana lawmakers have passed a bill targeting out-of-state doctors and activists who prescribe, mail, or “coordinate the sale of” abortion pills to residents within the state, where abortion is banned with few exceptions. AP
Childhood trauma has been linked to a 20% increased risk of developing endometriosis later in life, per a new study published in Human Reproduction, which included hundreds of thousands of women in Sweden. UPI
Dementia risk can be tied to vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, or smoking, finds research published in JAMA Neurology, which suggests that up to 44% of dementia cases could be attributed to such preventable factors in mid- and late life. Medical Xpress
The FDA will use AI to “radically increase efficiency” in approving new drugs and devices, per a commentary published in JAMA; the adoption of the technology comes after the agency cut nearly 2,000 employees. The New York Times (gift link) U.S. and Global Health Policy News Vaccine board purge stokes talk of CDC alternatives – Axios
White House says it will spare some AIDS programs that were on the chopping block – The Independent
Big changes are being proposed for a US food aid program – AP
Science’s reform movement should have seen Trump’s call for ‘gold standard science’ coming, critics say – Science
NIH chief stands by funding cuts to ‘politicized science’ at tense hearing – Nature
The Bleach Community Is Ready for RFK Jr. to Make Their Dreams Come True – WIRED DATA POINT
1 in 5
—————
Afghans live in areas littered with landmines and unexploded ordnance. —The Telegraph MENTAL HEALTH Rescripting Memories to Treat PTSD
Finding effective treatments for PTSD in veterans is an ongoing quest for psychologists and one with high stakes, as veterans with the condition face higher rates of suicide.
One therapy getting more attention: Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories (RTM), a structured process that aims to reduce PTSD symptoms by visualizing trauma as a movie, “rewinding” and adjusting elements to lessen emotional impact over time.
The process differs from the dominant treatment, prolonged exposure therapy, by approaching memories less directly, thereby lessening distress and leading to a higher completion rate.
Further study needed: Initial data are promising, with ~70% of those receiving RTM therapy no longer meeting PTSD criteria. But critics say the studies are limited and need more rigor.
The Atlantic
Related: Mental healthcare reform 2.0: learning from the global south – Nature Mental Health GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES DRUG TRAFFICKING Meth Smuggling Crisis in the Golden Triangle
Thai authorities are struggling to stem a flood of synthetic illicit drugs coming into the country from neighboring war-torn Burma, where drug production is surging.
Meth on the rise: Thailand intercepted 130 tons of meth in 2024, per a report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime—nearly half of the 236 tons seized in East and Southeast Asia.
- “In the past, to catch like 100,000 methamphetamine tablets was a big deal. Now we catch more than a million pills, and it’s just a normal day,” said one Thai military official.
The Telegraph OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Motsoaledi’s big HIV treatment jump: Is it true? – Bhekisisa
Arizona confirms first measles cases as totals rise in other states – CIDRAP
Why Texas is spending millions to research an illegal psychedelic – The Washington Post (gift link)
Việt Nam confirms global family planning commitment through 2030 – Viet Nam News
How to speak to a vaccine sceptic: research reveals what works – Nature
How Composting Protects Public Health and Our Planet – News Medical
Music festivals have become more open to harm reduction initiatives. How far will it go? – AP
Word of the Week: how a bacteria unrelated to fish got its name “salmonella” – NPR Issue No. 2739
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.
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Climate emergency is a health crisis ‘that is already killing us,’ says WHO
Global Health NOW: RFK Jr. Clears Out Vaccine Experts; Argentina’s Scientists Struggle; and Lesotho Mothers on the Front Lines
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. yesterday removed all experts on a vaccine advisory committee that guides the CDC—and will replace them with members he selects.
- Kennedy argued in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the 17-member committee “has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.”
- The next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will be held June 25-27, though it’s not clear when new members will be announced, the AP reports.
- “This is one of the darkest days in modern public health history," said Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), per CIDRAP. “Science does not matter to Mr. Kennedy.”
- “We’ll look back at this as a grave mistake that sacrificed decades of scientific rigor, undermined public trust, and opened the door for fringe theories rather than facts,” said Tom Frieden, Resolve to Save Lives president and CEO, and former CDC director, per AP.
- “With a refigured committee of like-minded individuals to the secretary, doctors, nurses, pharmacists who provide advice are going to be in big trouble,” Richard Besser, former CDC acting director, told The New York Times (gift link).
We have ‘post-vaccination syndrome.’ We are tired of being used to score anti-vax points – STAT (commentary)
FDA Review of Novavax’s COVID-19 Vaccine—Regulatory Integrity and Deviations From Standard Practice – JAMA (commentary)
Widespread Decline Seen in MMR Vaccination Rates After COVID-19 – Infectious Disease Advisor GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners The WHO has extended its designation of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern amid a recent surge of cases in West Africa; the emergency, first confirmed in August 2024, now affects 25 countries in Africa. CIDRAP
Youth firearm deaths rose considerably in U.S. states that passed more lenient gun laws after a 2010 Supreme Court ruling limited local governments’ capacity to limit gun ownership, per a new study in JAMA Pediatrics; in states with stricter laws, gun deaths held steady or even fell—and dipped significantly in four: California, Maryland, New York, and Rhode Island. The New York Times (gift link)
Canadian wildfires have forced 27,000+ Canadians in three provinces to evacuate, while smoke from the fires is causing ‘very unhealthy’ conditions in the American Midwest and even reaching Europe; in Minnesota, hospitals are reporting more patients with respiratory symptoms. AP
A new celiac disease blood test could be a game-changer, per Australian research published in Gastroenterology that found the test highly accurate—while sparing people from weeks of potentially painful and debilitating tests that require them to consume gluten. The Guardian U.S. and Global Health Policy News NIH walks back ban on new grants for universities with DEI programs or Israel boycotts – STAT
Trump budget proposes killing nursing research institute – Science
‘The cartels and clans are ecstatic’: How USAID cuts have emboldened Colombia’s narcos – The Telegraph
Domestic abusers could have easier path to getting gun rights back under Trump proposal – The 19th
Trump Bill’s Caps on Grad School Loans Could Worsen Doctor Shortage – The New York Times (gift link) POLICY Argentina’s Scientists Struggle
After decades of cyclical crises, extreme currency fluctuations, and sky-high inflation, Argentine scientists have had to learn to be creative with limited funds: They bargain with suppliers, recycle materials, and look for cheaper alternatives when the equipment they want is too expensive.
But even their ingenuity is becoming insufficient after a year and a half of aggressive government cuts to public spending.
- Projects studying rare diseases and RNA-based therapeutics are stalled or dramatically scaled back, while scientists face dwindling supplies and collapsing purchasing power due to inflation exceeding 300% since late 2023.
- International collaborations, once a safety net, are also at risk as U.S. science budgets tighten. Argentine scientists are used to “brain drain”—seeing their colleagues emigrate when funding gets scarce—a possibility that is now raising alarms in the U.S.
Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS How Misoprostol Transformed Abortion in Latin America
In the 1990s, abortion activism in Latin America was revolutionized by the word-of-mouth spread of a safe, new self-managed abortion method: the drug misoprostol.
Strict anti-abortion laws were in place throughout the region, but underground networks of activists soon found ways to get misoprostol in the hands of women, and to instruct them how to use it.
- Groups like Las Libres in Mexico and Socorristas en Red in Argentina offered free pills, guidance, and support. Activists in Ecuador and Argentina started hotlines and published widely read manuals.
NPR
Related: A Day With One Abortion Pill Prescriber – The New York Times (gift link) SUBSTANCE USE Lesotho Mothers on the Front Lines
In Lesotho, alarming trends in youth drug use are spurring mothers to push for greater interventions.
‘Hotspotting’ takes hold: As crystal meth usage has grown, more young people are participating in “hotspotting” or “bluetoothing”—the practice of drawing blood from a drug-intoxicated person, then injecting it in others in order to spread the high.
- The practice increases the risk of HIV and other infections in a country already facing one of the world’s highest HIV rates.
The Guardian
Related: Drug deaths plummet among young Americans as fentanyl carnage eases – NPR OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Measles holiday warning as cases rise in Europe – BBC
A Palestinian doctor in Israel helps people on both sides – The New Yorker
These Gazan families came to Quebec for safety. Now, they face life without health coverage – CBC
Two Women Faced Chemo. The One Who Survived Demanded a Test to See if It Was Safe. – MedPage Today Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!
Suicidal ideation across three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark – identifying vulnerable subgroups using COH-FIT data – Journal of Affective Disorders
Eliminating malaria in Nigeria: insights from Egypt's success and pathways to sustainable eradication – Malaria Journal - BioMed Central
Open-access revolution is squeezing scientific societies’ budgets, survey shows – Science
What does it mean for workplaces to treat COVID-19 like the common flu – NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health / National University of Singapore Issue No. 2738
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.
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Social and economic barriers, not choice, driving global fertility crisis: UNFPA
Global Health NOW: Sierra Leone’s Mpox Surge; Climate and Kidney Disease; and Standing Up to Stigma
Mpox infections are rapidly rising in Sierra Leone, overwhelming the nation’s health systems and raising fears of a wider spread in densely populated West Africa, reports Nature.
Outbreak overview: In the past month, Sierra Leone has reported 15 deaths and 3,000+ mpox infections—more than half of Africa’s new cases.
- The actual number of infections may be 4X higher than reported, genomic analysis suggests.
- The outbreak is driven by clade IIb—the same strain behind the global outbreak that began in 2022, and separate from the clade Ib strain driving the outbreak in the DRC.
- The country has received limited vaccine doses, and global funding cuts are further hampering research and response.
- 40 cases have now been reported, and one infant has died.
Viral skincare routines aimed at teenagers on TikTok carry both dermatological and psychological risks and “offer little to no benefit,” finds a study in Pediatrics, which also found that content creators ages 7–18 apply an average of six skincare products daily. Newsweek
U.S. mothers’ mental health worsened between 2016 and 2023 across all socioeconomic groups, finds a study in JAMA Internal Medicine that analyzed self-reported mental health ratings from some 198,000 mothers. The Washington Post (gift link)
As global measles surveillance is threatened by U.S. funding cuts, philanthropies are trying to keep the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, known as Gremlin, afloat. STAT U.S. and Global Health Policy News In Axing mRNA Contract, Trump Delivers Another Blow to US Biosecurity, Former Officials Say – KFF Health News
He led George W. Bush's PEPFAR program to stop AIDS. Now he fears for its future – NPR Goats and Soda
How Trump Administration Can Tackle America's Addiction Problems: Experts – Newsweek
Who’s in charge? CDC’s leadership ‘crisis’ apparent amid new COVID-19 vaccine guidance – AP
NIH asks for proposals for $50M autism data project – Axios
Palantir’s Collection of Disease Data at C.D.C. Stirs Privacy Concerns – The New York Times (gift link) CLIMATE Climate and Kidney Disease
Since the late 1990s, researchers have been studying an epidemic of young, otherwise healthy workers suddenly struck with kidney failure—a condition dubbed chronic kidney disease of unknown cause, or CKDu.
- First seen in El Salvador, CKDu is now known to affect laborers worldwide, especially in hot, humid regions.
- Tens of thousands have likely died from the disease, say researchers.
- “You’re having this acute kidney injury day after day,” said Catharina Giudice, an emergency medicine physician at Harvard University.
Nature GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HIV/AIDS Standing Up to Stigma
In Rwanda, where approximately 300,000 people live with HIV, stigma can lead to social isolation, especially in school-age children. But new protective measures are supporting students living with HIV.
- The Rwanda Biomedical Centre has trained 383 school officials on supporting students who are HIV-positive. 139 officials will receive similar training in June.
- Youth-driven anti-AIDS clubs that provide awareness and support, which have stalled in the past, are being revived.
The New Times OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Gaza health system ‘extremely fragile’ as aid point killings increase: ICRC – Al Jazeera
Monthly prescription rule blocks ADHD treatment for SA kids – Bhekisisa
World must ‘start screening for prostate cancer to stop men being left behind’ – The Telegraph
Salmonella outbreak tied to eggs sickens dozens across 7 states – AP
Stigmatised for being deaf: Zénabou's story – UN News
Local, organic, and bipartisan: How Vermont is challenging Big Food – The Christian Science Monitor
How a dog aging project can help pets and humans live healthier lives – NPR’s Short Wave (audio) Issue No. 2737
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.
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Global Health NOW: Europe’s Surge of Synthetic Drugs; Scotlandʼs Mission to Banish Cervical Cancer; and This Sausage Roll Tastes Like Wax
A widespread influx of synthetic opioids and recreational designer drugs are putting European health care systems “under strain,” finds the European Union Drugs Agency's annual report—as a “constantly evolving" European drug market forces officials to overhaul response strategies, reports Politico.
The health risks of many synthetic drugs remain poorly understood due to their novelty and shifting composition, reports DW. Key synthetic drug trends include:
- Nitazenes, synthetic opioids that can be stronger than heroin or fentanyl, have been linked to increasing overdose deaths.
- Cathinones, stimulants also known as “bath salts,” are increasingly being manufactured on the continent, with Poland emerging as a key hub.
- Semi-synthetic cannabinoids: ~18 new semi-synthetic cannabinoids were detected in 2024; most are sold legally as their molecules are not explicitly banned.
Polysubstance use—taking multiple drugs at once—remains the main cause of drug deaths.
- 7,500 drug-induced deaths occurred in 2023, mostly from opioids.
10.9 million
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The number of Americans who would lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut bill, per the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. – USA Today The Latest One-Liners
Haiti has been elected to the WHO Executive Board for the first time, with the nation’s health minister saying the country would be a “committed voice” in shaping global health policy even as the country grapples with its own public health crises, including gang-related violence and undermined health infrastructure. The Haitian Times
Women using weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are being urged to use “effective contraception” after 40 women have reported becoming pregnant while taking the medications, a U.K. regulatory agency warns. The Guardian
Extended marriage and maternity leave will be offered in China's southwestern Sichuan province, as officials hope to create a “fertility-friendly society” in the face of flagging birth rates in China. Reuters
Childhood measles vaccination rates fell in ~80% of U.S. counties after the COVID-19 pandemic, per a new study published in JAMA Network Open; the findings reflect trends seen at both state and national levels. AP GHN EXCLUSIVE All school pupils in Scotland are offered the HPV vaccine in their first year of secondary school. Courtesy of Public Health Scotland Scotlandʼs Mission to Banish Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally—but in Scotland, an observational study of a national, school-based HPV vaccination program launched in 2008 detected zero cases of the disease among women fully immunized against HPV at age 12 or 13.
The school-based program has consistently achieved HPV vaccination coverage of over 80% of Scottish pupils—well above the European average.
How do they do it?
Prioritize communication: “We try to make sure that everybody has the same information … that will allow parents to make an informed decision” about having their child vaccinated, Kirsty Roy, the studyʼs lead author, told GHN in an exclusive Q&A.
Tackle vaccine inequalities: Roy says that the program is constantly trying to better understand gaps in vaccine coverage between the most and least deprived areas, from the “misperception that the vaccine only benefits girls” to school absenteeism that prevents some pupils from accessing the vaccine.
Play the long game: While the program has seen successes, it still aims to go further: “We are working towards eliminating cervical cancer in Scotland, as per the WHOʼs definition,” says Roy.
Annalies Winny, Global Health NOW READ THE Q&A GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES SUBSTANCE USE Why Alcohol Needs a Cancer Warning Label
More than six in 10 Americans drink alcohol. But less than half of them know that they’re increasing their cancer risk while they’re doing it.
Updating the U.S. alcohol health warning label—which hasn’t changed since 1989—could help to raise awareness, experts say.
- On January 3, then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a health advisory on the link between cancer and drinking and recommended that the warning label on alcohol containers be changed to reflect the connection.
- In February, the WHO issued a similar call.
Other countries have been more aggressive about their warnings: Beginning in 2026, Ireland will require prominent labels with red capital letters on all containers of beer, wine, and liquor sold in the country.
Alcohol consumption is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity, and leads to a higher risk of at least seven types of cancer.
Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION This Sausage Roll Tastes Like Wax
Everyone knows thereʼs only one true sign of celebrity: Being cast in wax.
Think David Attenborough, Beyoncé, William Shakespeare … and now, some sausage wrapped up in pastry, Londonist reports.
Ahead of National Sausage Roll Day—a holiday that apparently exists—an iconic snack from the British bakery chain Greggs claimed a top spot at Madame Tussauds wax museum in London, where it is now lounging atop a blue velvet pillow.
How the sausage is made: The “one-of-a-kind replica Sausage Roll” was handcrafted by studio artists who studied “dozens” of real-life rolls to capture its flaky layers and “unmistakable golden glaze,” a press release gushed.
Following the science: “New research”—which we couldnʼt find a link to—apparently ranked the Greggs Sausage Roll among the countryʼs most beloved cultural icons. It even outranked the affable cast of Gavin & Stacey (a GHN fave from James Corden) and the foul-mouthed brothers of Oasis.
But even a wax sausage roll has a limited shelf life. The exhibit expires at the end of June. OPPORTUNITY
The Spring Issue of HBPH Is Available
The new special issue of Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health magazine documents the broad and emerging impacts of U.S. government funding cuts on a wide range of research and projects in the U.S. and abroad, the scientists who conduct that work, and the people who benefit from it. It also highlights public health in action, and shares stories with lessons that can help us navigate the current moment.
Researchers warn of bird flu survival in raw milk – News Medical
US valley fever cases may be 18 times higher than reported – CIDRAP
Call for experts to develop a WHO guideline on consumption of ultra-processed foods – PAHO
Measles Is Scary, Says Lubbock’s Top Health Official. So Is Government Upheaval. – Texas Monthly
Baby saved by gene-editing therapy 'graduates' from hospital, goes home – ABC News Issue No. 2736
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.
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AIDS still killing one person every minute as funding cuts stall progress
World News in Brief: Women’s health in Sudan, childhood wasting, Belarus trade unions, Guatemala child rights violation
Global Health NOW: Assaults on Aid as Sudan’s Hunger Crisis Deepens; Scientific Journals Navigate New Challenges; and The Clay Floor Advantage
A 15-truck convoy delivering lifesaving supplies to famine-stricken North Darfur was attacked in a “horrendous” ambush Monday night, killing five humanitarian workers, injuring others, and blocking desperately needed humanitarian supplies, reports Al Jazeera.
Details: The convoy, led by World Food Programme and UNICEF contractors, would have been the first to reach El Fasher in over a year, as hundreds of thousands of people in the region face malnutrition and starvation amid Sudan’s ongoing conflict, per UN News.
- It remains unclear who is behind the attack, with agencies calling for an investigation.
- Meanwhile, damage to civilian infrastructure has worsened a cholera outbreak.
Rise of refugees in Chad: The number of Sudanese refugees in Chad has risen 3X+ in just over two years, per UN News, with 1.2 million people fleeing to the country.
- Over 9 million people have been displaced in the conflict.
1.6 million
——————
People fall ill daily from unsafe food globally, warns the WHO. —Anadolu Agency
The Latest One-Liners
Guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions for women needing medical stabilization has been revoked by the Trump administration; the Biden administration had issued the guidance to preserve emergency abortion care, even in states with near-total bans. AP
The CDC official overseeing updates to the agency’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations has resigned, saying she could no longer “help the most vulnerable members of our population” after HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s order to change the agency’s vaccine guidance. CBS
Vietnam will end its longstanding policy limiting families to two children as the country aims to reverse a declining birth that has dropped below the replacement level for three consecutive years. South China Morning Post
Misinformation around cancer care is leading to a rise in alternative treatments like coffee enemas, raw juice diets, and other potentially dangerous social media–driven trends, said doctors at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, warning that such misinformation has “acutely worsened in the past decade.” The Guardian U.S. and Global Health Policy News Trump asks Congress to repeal $9 billion from NPR, PBS and global aid – The Washington Post (gift link)
Research cuts conflict with MAHA's stated goals – NPR
Kennedy has ordered a review of baby formula. Here’s what you should know – AP
Dismantling CDC’s chronic disease center ‘looks pretty devastating’ to public health experts – STAT HUMAN RIGHTS Peru’s Forced Sterilization Victims Seek Justice
Peruvian women sterilized decades ago under the government’s forced sterilization campaign are finally having their day in court, as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights held its first public hearing on the abuses in the case Celia Ramos v. Peru. Ramos died 19 days after receiving an unwanted tubal ligation.
Background: Between 1996 and 2001, ~270,000 Peruvian women were sterilized under then-President Alberto Fujimori’s reproductive policy.
- The women, who were mostly poor and Indigenous, faced coercion, threats, and physical violence when they resisted.
- “It’s been over 28 years of uncommitted and unaccountable governments,” said survivor María Elena Carbajal.
Researchers and editors of federally funded scientific journals say they are facing new challenges of interference, fear, self-censorship, and dissent due to the U.S. government’s crackdown on DEI language.
Confusion and cuts: Federal directives to remove specific words and data, followed by major research funding cuts, have created upheaval in standard procedures around publishing.
- Journals overseen by federal agencies now face additional vetting, and federal researchers who publish in outside journals say they have received inconsistent guidance on what they are able to submit.
Undark
Related: US veterans agency orders scientists not to publish in journals without clearance – The Guardian ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH The Clay Floor Advantage
In Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya, the nonprofit EarthEnable is reducing dust and parasites in homes by installing clay-based flooring—which delivers health and environmental benefits over dirt floors at less than half the price of concrete.
- Dirt floors are associated with poor hygiene, breathing irritations, pathogens, and the spread of parasitic fleas called jiggers.
- The clay floors, which are durable and sealed, also emit less carbon in production than concrete; the cement industry accounts for a large proportion of Uganda’s carbon emissions.
AP
Thanks for the tip, Dave Cundiff! OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS UK ‘not ready’ for major animal disease outbreak – The Telegraph
COVID vaccine changes confuse and upset some parents and families – NPR
Moderna will test new COVID shot against placebo, RFK Jr. says – Toronto Sun
New mRNA vaccine is more effective and less costly to develop, study finds – Medical Xpress
Abortion laws are Victorian era, says grieving mum – BBC
Anorexia in Middle Age and Beyond – The New York Times (gift link)
How extreme heat affects America's most vulnerable – JHU Hub
Annual cost of insuring a family tops $35,000 –Axios Issue No. 2736
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.
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Global Health NOW: Zambia Drags Heels on Mercury Amalgam Ban; May Recap; and Cigarettes in France: From Romanticized to Restricted
LUSAKA, Zambia—Some nations have already taken decisive steps to ban mercury amalgam in dental fillings—but in Zambia, despite the dangers, progress has stalled.
Health risks: Mercury amalgam, a common material used to fill cavities, consists of liquid mercury mixed with silver, tin, and copper, and emits low levels of mercury vapor, which, when inhaled, can be absorbed in the lungs and cause harm among some groups, including young children.
Environmental risks: Just 0.6 grams of mercury—the average amount used in a single filling—can pollute 100,000 liters of water, about the size of a swimming pool, and make it unsafe to drink.
Zambia is especially vulnerable to harmful impacts of mercury on its limited resources due to inadequate mitigation processes such as improper disposal systems.
- ~10% of Zambia’s dentists still offer mercury fillings, though the real figure may be higher.
- Zambia signed the 2013 Minamata Convention on Mercury, which encourages replacement of mercury in dental amalgam with environmentally friendly alternatives, but has failed to implement an official ban.
Ed. Note: Thanks to Michael Musenga, of the Children’s Environmental Health Foundation in Livingstone, Zambia, for the idea for this story, which won an honorable mention in the Untold Global Health Stories Contest, co-sponsored by GHN and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health. READ THE FULL STORY GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
Cancer death rates in the UK have fallen by about a fifth since the early 1970s—from 326 per 100,000 people in 1971 to 254 per 100,000 in 2021—according to a new Cancer Research UK report that also found diagnoses are on the rise. The Independent
Younger generations are less likely to have dementia—at any age—than earlier groups, suggests a study in JAMA Network Open that compared eight birth cohorts; University of Queensland researchers also found that the trend is more pronounced in women. The Guardian
COVID-19 vaccination prevented the deaths of 12,800 Belgians ages 65 and older from January 2021 to January 2023, and reduced mortality by 54%, according to a new analysis published in Vaccine. CIDRAP
University of Warwick researchers have demonstrated a proof of concept for a new diagnostic assay to detect snake venom, per a new paper published in Biomacromolecules; the glycopolymer-based ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) test could be an inexpensive, quick alternative to current antibody assays. University of Warwick via ScienceDaily
In Starr County, Texas, dementia affects about 1 in 5 adults on Medicare—more than 2X the national rate.
Why? Researchers say dementia risk factors—genetics, environment, and chronic health conditions—have accumulated in Starr County.
- ~1 in 3 people live in poverty.
- The county is almost entirely Hispanic—a population that faces a significantly higher dementia risk.
The Atlantic (gift link)
The High Cost of Vietnam’s Cheap Cigarettes
Vietnam’s tobacco products remain cheap and widely accessible compared to other countries, leading to high usage and health impacts.
Low tax, high usage: Vietnam’s tobacco retail tax rate is just 36%, half WHO’s recommended rate of 70–75%.
- Affordability means cigarettes are easily accessible to first-time users and even children.
Health burden: Tobacco use causes ~104,000 deaths annually there.
Reform needed: Vietnam’s health leaders are urging regular tax hikes to align with international standards.
Vietnam News Agency via MSN
South Africa’s Backstreet Abortion Problem
Although abortion is legal in South Africa, unsafe abortion clinics are thriving because of scammers, social media misinformation, and a lack of knowledge about legal options. 16% of deaths from miscarriages were attributed to unsafe abortion, per a 2020–2022 report. But that’s likely an undercount.
“Magic” solutions: Scammers and unlicensed clinics advertise “womb cleaning” and “sonar pills” that endanger pregnant people.
Real information: Science-based efforts on social media seek to flip the script.
- On TikTok, Marie Stopes South Africa posts videos like “how to put on a condom” and “how to avoid getting scammed” by illegal abortion providers.
U.S. Funding Cuts Stop Crucial HIV Research in Its Tracks by Elna Schütz JOHANNESBURG—U.S. government research funding cuts stopped a seminal mRNA HIV vaccine study, part of the BRILLIANT consortium, mere days before its planned start in March 2025. Instead, vaccine doses sit unused. Such a vaccine could fundamentally change the HIV burden for South Africa and the world.
Tuberculosis Prevention Cuts in India by Cheena Kapoor DELHI, India—The Karnataka Health Promotion Trust, in the country’s south, supported a “TB buddy” system of guides who help tuberculosis patients with documentation, offer emotional support, and ensure patients complete their treatment. Continuing support for the TB buddy project ended with USAID funding cuts.
Mosquito Nets and Geopolitical Bets by Paul Adepoju IBADAN, Nigeria—Nigeria bears the world’s highest malaria burden, accounting for a quarter of all cases globally. A steady flow of donor‑funded supplies meant that Nigerians could receive free rapid tests and artemisinin‑based combination therapy (ACT) malaria medications. Those supplies were made possible by a finely tuned supply chain. But withdrawal of U.S. funding could endanger the country’s successes against the disease, including a 13% reduction in mortality rates since 2017.
Peru’s Illegal Mining Surges … and Destroys by Lucien Chauvin LIMA, Peru—Soaring gold prices and plunging U.S. government funds have set off a gold rush in Peru that has led to destroyed forests, mercury poisoning, and fast-spreading infectious diseases. U.S.-supported efforts had sought to limit illegal mining and its impacts on the environment and human health. Projects also reduced illicit activities intertwined with illegal mining, such as drug and wildlife trafficking. MAY’S BEST NEWS Scaling Up Desalination
Millions of people in the Arabian Gulf now have access to a stable source of safe drinking water, as innovations in desalination lower barriers.
Solar-powered reverse osmosis and other technologies have lowered costs from $5 to under $0.50 per cubic meter over a decade.
- Some Gulf nations now rely on desalination for up to 90% of their drinking water.
The Telegraph SMOKING Cigarettes in France: From Romanticized to Restricted
France, long the home of glamorized smoking, will soon usher in a sweeping smoking ban as cultural attitudes shift around tobacco use.
New rules: Starting July 1, France will ban smoking in most outdoor public areas where children may gather, including parks, beaches, bus stops, and sports venues. Fines may reach €135 ($153).
- Freedom to smoke “stops where children’s right to breathe clean air starts,” said health minister Catherine Vautrin.
- ~75,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses in France each year.
WHO resolution helps reframe skin diseases as a 'global public health priority,' not a 'cosmetic issue' – El País
At least 20 Planned Parenthood clinics shutter amid political turbulence – The Guardian
Gates To Direct Majority Of $200 Billion Pledge To Africa – Health Policy Watch
Investigating generics: They say their ADHD meds aren't working. They're not imagining it – MedShadow
Ending the HIV epidemic among adolescents in southern Africa – The Lancet Global Health (commentary)
Virus Hunter Peter Piot: How a Chance Encounter Sparked His Life Mission – Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies / Stanford University Issue No. 2735
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 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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